THE PORTSMOUTH 



ered by swamps. Foxes double much, and as a large portion of the coun- 

 try is unrideable, one has to ride after, or to the hounds, rather than with 

 them ; so that a clever, quiet horse is best suited to the work, as much 

 trappy jumping has to be done. It often happens that a horse must push 

 his way through thick alders and briers and buck over a good-sized wall 

 into a maze of bushes. Thus, it goes without saying that a horse to hunt 

 this country should be a born leader and go fearlessly where he is headed, 

 whether in moonlight or sunshine. 



The Virginia and Maryland horses, clean or half-bred, seem to negoti- 

 ate the New England territory with more cleverness and satisfaction than 

 those from other parts of the country, or England ; and the character and 

 temper of the horse seem to have more to do with his success here than 

 the amount of hot blood he has. It will be seen that a horse really ideal 

 for this country is most likely to possess all-round useful qualities, a matter 

 of much moment to the average New England hunting man, many of whom 

 do not feel able to keep a horse for hunting alone. 



The Portsmouth hounds are bred, says Dr. Heffenger, " as near the 

 American standard type as possible, which practically means a cross of the 

 racy strains of the south, possessing the combination of nose, hunting speed 

 and stamina, upon the best English bitches. About seventeen years ago 

 the breeding lines were started with ' Joe Forester,* an English-native cross, 

 and crosses were made between Walker, Maupin, Robinson, July, Brooke 

 and Wildgoose strains, and several of the best English packs, resulting in a 

 hound of definite type and form, which so far has given the best sport in 

 hunting the New England fox over this cramped and rugged country." 



If the scope of this volume permitted, it would be mteresting to have Dr. 

 Heffenger's opinion in detail, as he believes that in order to produce the 

 best results it is necessary to use a very large infusion of American blood, 

 and this is shown very clearly in such hounds as he brings to the annual 

 foxhound shows. That his hounds give good sport in the kind of country 

 they hunt, and in the way he desires, is unquestionable ; but that they breed 

 to a type, or that any American hounds breed to as distinct a type as the 

 English hound, we seriously doubt. 



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