240 HARE-HUNTING 



can get it. Sixteen inches is, I consider, the 

 smallest hound that it is advisable to ride to, as 

 below that size they will have a continual fear of 

 horses, which will interfere with their hunting. 



When your pack has become perfect, you may 

 leave them almost entirely alone, and should 

 never try to cut off corners or lift them, unless 

 it happens to be a very bad scenting-day. You 

 must remember, if there is any scent at all, a 

 harrier can always keep pace with the hare, and 

 the less they are lifted the better they will hunt. 

 If hounds are never allowed to puzzle out a 

 line for themselves, they will get into the habit 

 of looking for assistance always, and will fail you 

 at a critical moment. 



The best plan in starting a new pack is to buy 

 drafts from well-known kennels that are parted 

 with on account of size, and not from any par- 

 ticular defect, but no one ever parts with really 

 good entered hounds unless they have some 

 fault. Of course, if you have the opportunity of 

 buying a whole pack, you may consider yourself 

 very lucky, but these chances seldom occur at 

 the moment they are wanted. In your first few 

 seasons you must put up with bad legs and feet, 



