36 A PLEA FOR INTEREST IN HOUNDS 



book, and on reference to its contents many passages 

 are to be found showing the remarkably acute obser- 

 vation with which he watched the performance of his 

 pack." 



If writers of reports of runs were to take a leaf 

 from Lord Henry's book and describe the doings of 

 the various hounds who distinguished themselves in 

 chase, I wonder much how their lucubrations would 

 be received by the public. Would it help to create 

 in the minds of those who were out an interest in 

 the hounds ? If they were told, for instance, that it 

 was Dashwood who alone could hold the line on the 

 dusty road, and did it for a mile, and so gave us 

 the gallop, would anxiety be displayed to have a 

 look at Dashwood next time he was out ? Or if it 

 were recorded that it was Tarnish who crossed the 

 stream and was first to grapple with the fox at the 

 end of the run, would Tarnish be sought for and 

 recognised as a heroine? 



Sir Reginald Graham's book would be most 

 valuable if it contained nothing else but these 

 extracts from Lord Henry Bentinck's private kennel- 

 book, and those who care about hounds and their 

 breeding will naturally search for his mention of 

 the great Contest, of Tomboy, and other cele- 

 brities. 



Alas ! the scribe who reports the run has seldom 

 the knowledge or facilities for notice which make 

 Lord Henry's notes so deeply interesting, and I need 

 hardly apologise to the author for now quoting a 

 few of t^iem ; records such as these may well arouse 

 interest and enthusiasm about hounds, beside show- 



