THE FELL HOUNDS 63 



annoyed at this, and when Bobbie Dawson said, 

 " Mun we kill another ? " he replied, " Aye, if you 

 can ? " 



Bobbie, therefore, made off to another covert, 

 where " Minister " again found a fox, and ran him 

 well ahead of the Sinnington hounds, finally roUing 

 him over like his predecessor. The Sinnington 

 broke him up, as " Minister," being a hill hound, 

 would not touch him after he was dead. 



This took place in the low countr}% and shows 

 what a hill hound can do when he finds himself 

 on more or less level " going." 



I have heard it said that the fell hounds would 

 be beaten by hounds from the Shires in an enclosed 

 countrj^ but I should feel pretty safe with my 

 money on a fell pack, if ever such a trial took place. 



In order to get the best out of hounds, their 

 feeding and conditioning should receive very special 

 attention. It is the superior condition of the 

 hounds that enables them to press their fox at some 

 period of a run, and by doing so, eventually bring 

 him to hand. Both scenting power and eyesight 

 may be damaged in a hound solely through in- 

 judicious feeding. A great deal too much " slop " 

 is fed to hounds in some kennels, the result being 

 that hounds in their eagerness to feed, shove their 

 muzzles well into the hquid, and not only get 

 irritating matter up their nostrils, but splash their 

 eyes into the bargain. The nostrils are extremely 



