i6o ROYAL ROCK BEAGLE HUNT. 



Altliough in ancient Egyptian sculi)tures may be seen a representation 

 of a dog, something like our modern foxhound, the best authorities give the 

 probable origin of llie hounds of last century as the old English blood-hound 

 crossed witli a lighter variety of the dog. The blood-hound is credited with 

 greater powers of scent than any other dog, and it is no doubt that quality 

 Avhich led to his being chosen as the progenitor of hounds suitable for hare- 

 hunting. The type aimed at would be abound with a good " nose,"' great 

 endurance, and moderate speeed— not so speedy as to overmatch the hare. 



A diff'rent hound for ev'ry diff'rent chase 



Select with judgment, nor the tim'rous hare 



O'ermatch'd destroy, but leave that vile offence 



To the mean, murd'rous, coursing crew, intent 



On blood and spoil. O ! blast their hopes, just Heav'n ! 



And all their painful drudgeries repay 



With disappointment and severe remorse. 



But husband thou thy pleasures, and give scope 



To all her subtle play. By Nature led, 



A thousand shifts she tries : t' unravel these 



Th' industrious beagle twists his waving tail, 



Thro' all her labyrinths pursues, and rings 



Her doleful knell. SoiiiLfvilc. 



Ifoimation of a pad?. 



" She's a beagle, true-bred, and one that adores me." 



J wclfth Night, act ii, scene 3. 



In forming a pack of beagles, or hounds generally, it is better to pur- 

 cliase an established pack, rather than attempt to make one by purchasing 

 drafts from other kennels and breeding from them. It would take eight or 

 ten years to form a satisfactory pack by the latter method, while infinite 

 pains would have to be taken in the selection of hounds for breeding, and 

 in the drafting of puppies. 



The Royal Rock Beagles began well, as described in a previous chapter, 

 by purchasing a renowned pack of hounds from Captain J. A. Thompson. 

 This was twelve couple of good hounds; and during the first year some odd 

 lots were picked up from various quarters, and those unsuitable for the 

 R.R.B. carefully drafted out. In the course of a few years a really good 

 even pack of sixteen inches was established, and for a long period enough 

 puppies were bred to keep up the numbers. On the whole, more hounds 

 were sold than bought, but this was somewhat overdone in 1883, when a 

 great many hounds were sold to a Hunt Club in Rangoon. 



At this lime our kennels were rather denuded of hounds, there 

 being only twelve couple averaging sixteen and a-half inches, and in 

 November, 1883, we bought, for fifty pounds, a pack belonging to the late 

 i\Ir. Myles Kennedy, of Ulverston, fifteen and a-half couple, varying from 

 fourteen and a-half to seventeen and three-quarters inches. Of this lot three 



