40 FOX-HUNTING 



he is more than likely to be lame, and the same 

 thing happens after jumping banks or stone 

 walls. It is not, perhaps, very difficult to know 

 about shoulders when they are at either extreme, 

 but I would not accept the verdict of the most 

 celebrated judge when there was any doubt one 

 way or the other, because I do not believe any 

 one can make certain on this point by seeing a 

 hound only on the flags. I do not wish to under- 

 estimate the value of straight legs or round cat- 

 like feet, and I would if possible always have 

 perfection ; but at the same time I think there 

 are other and more important points which are 

 often sacrificed to a craze for these two things. 

 I must confess that I am myself under the 

 influence of this craze, and if a hound is not 

 straight, I cannot look at him twice. Nine 

 men out of ten on entering a kennel look first 

 at legs, and if any are at all out of the straight 

 they immediately detect them. The owner or 

 huntsman of the pack knows this will happen, 

 and he will try to keep the crooked ones in the 

 background. There can be no question of opinion 

 as to a hound's legs, for he is either straight or 

 crooked, as the case may be, and the fact admits 



