64 FOXHUNTING ON LAKELAND FELLS 



tender, and anything lodging in them tends to set 

 up irritation and inflammation, with the result 

 that the animal cannot use its nose to the best 

 advantage in the field. In the same way, particles 

 of irritating matter reach the eyes, the latter, as in 

 humans, being most susceptible to anything of 

 such a nature. Fed with solid food early the day 

 before hunting, hounds should be fit to run their 

 best on arrival at the meet. Hounds well fed with 

 good stiff food will work better, and keep in better 

 condition, than those which are blown out with 

 sloppy feed. Due attention should, of course, be 

 paid to the gross feeders and those with more 

 dainty appetites, but the chief thing to remember 

 is the stijf food. 



On the return from hunting it is, I think, bad 

 policy to allow hounds to absolutely gorge them- 

 selves, just a nice feed being much better, and less 

 liable to cause internal disorders such as indiges- 

 tion. Old hounds which, owing to their experience, 

 are so valuable in a fell pack, should, with advanc- 

 ing years, be fed fighter than was the case in their 

 younger days. An old hound is like a human 

 being, apt to put on fat internally with age, and 

 though he may not show it markedly in his out- 

 ward appearance, such fat has a deleterious eflect 

 on his wind. Over-feeding only increases this fat, 

 and though the hound may be able to stay almost 

 as well as ever, a fast burst over a country finds 



