42 FOX-HUNTING 



getting weedy. Hounds very soon degenerate 

 and have an inclination to revert to some im- 

 perfect ancestor — a tendency of each successive 

 generation to become lighter in bone. This must 

 not be allowed, and can only be prevented by 

 using sires that are exceptionally good in this 

 quality. A hound may have sufficient bone to 

 carry himself through life, and yet not enough to 

 justify his being used as a sire. By all means get 

 plenty of bone, but avoid lumber and coarseness. 



There are many other things which it is neces- 

 sary to remember in selecting a sire, and the 

 most important is working qualities, but this, 

 unfortunately, is not easy to ascertain. In a first- 

 class pack you may be certain they would not 

 keep a hound with any glaring fault, but what 

 you require when possible to breed from is super- 

 excellence. We will suppose you have already 

 in the summer decided, as far as looks go, on 

 certain packs that you will send bitches to, and 

 have marked on your list four or five stallion- 

 hounds in each kennel that took your fancy. 

 Now that the season has commenced, you will 

 visit each pack in turn and have a day's hunting 

 with them. Unless, however, you have been 



