THE FELL HOimDS 55 



killing a fox " on his own." No single hound 

 could do that in a country like the fells unless 

 he possessed nose, pace, drive and courage in a 

 marked degree. 



The majority of the fell hounds are light- 

 coloured ; some of them practically white. This is 

 a decided advantage on the hills, where it is im- 

 possible to keep in close touch with them. A light- 

 coloured hound can be seen at a great distance 

 against a background of heather or dark rock. 

 Next to nose, however, music is most important. 

 Even if you cannot see hounds, yet can hear them 

 plainly, you know what to do, and which direction 

 to take. 



Hunting on the fells necessitates practising the 

 " let 'em alone principle," for throughout the 

 majority of runs hounds do all their own work 

 unaided by their huntsman. Thus they learn 

 perseverance, which enables them to carry on 

 when scenting conditions are not of the best. 



Harking back for a moment to the subject of 

 hound conformation, I have always been surprised 

 that judges at the shows appear to set little or no 

 store by the shape of a hound's hind feet. Even 

 with the ultra-fashionable type the hind feet are 

 more or less as Nature formed them, and they 

 stand wear and tear without showing signs of 

 breaking up. 



Now, this is a perfect refutation of the idea 



