238 HARE-HUNTING 



does not appear to me to be sport, I would rather 

 not advise you any further. 



In a moorland country where there is either 

 high bracken or heather, I consider the old 

 English harrier the most suitable hound to hunt 

 the hare. Though their height is often over 

 twenty-four inches, they are really not much 

 faster than fifteen-inch beagles, but they can 

 lumber along through the heather all day, whereas 

 a small hound would soon get tired. Then they 

 have a splendid deep note which can be heard 

 a long distance — a very necessary qualification 

 in a rough country where hounds are frequently 

 out of sight. I am very sorry that there are 

 not more packs of these hounds, and that there 

 are signs of the few dying out, as I consider 

 they are exactly the right stamp of large hound 

 to hunt hares. They have no drive, have 

 excellent scenting-powers, and will go on hunting 

 all day. 



I think perhaps the fault of getting harriers 

 too fast very often arises from having too good 

 horses in the first instance. If the master and 

 huntsman were obliged to ride fourteen-hand 

 cobs, that could jump well and only gallop 



