THE NAMING OF WHELPS 29 



I have often heard, as an excuse for hounds not hunting a cold scent, 

 that they were too high bred. I confess, I know not what that means ; but 

 this I know, that hounds are frequently too ill-bred to be of any service. It 

 is judgment in the breeder, and patience afterwards in the huntsman, that 

 make them hunt. 1 



Young hounds are commonly named when first put out, and sometimes, 

 indeed, ridiculously enough ; nor is it easy, when you breed many, to find 

 suitable or harmonious names for all ; particularly as it is usual to name all 

 the whelps of one litter with the same letter, which (to be systematically 

 done) should also be the initial letter of the dog that got them, or the bitch 

 that bred them. A baronet of my acquaintance, a literal observer of the 

 above rule, sent three young hounds of one litter to a friend, all their names 

 beginning, as he said, with the letter G : Gowler, Govial, and Galloper. 



It is, indeed, of little consequence what huntsmen call their hounds ; 

 yet, if you dislike an unmeaning name, would it not be as well to leave the 

 naming of them till they are brought home ? They soon learn their names 

 and a shorter list would do. Damons and Delias would not then be neces- 

 sary ; nor need the sacred names of Titus and Trajan be thus degraded. 

 It is true, there are many odd names which custom authorizes ; yet I can- 

 not think, because some drunken fellow or other has christened his dog 

 Tipler, or Tapster, that there is the least reason to follow the example. 

 Pipers and Fiddlers, for the sake of their music, we will not object to ; but 

 Tiplers and Tapsters your kennel will be much better without. 



However extraordinary you may think it, I can assure you that I have 

 myself seen a white Gipsey, a grey Ruby, a dark Snowball, and a Blueman, 

 of any colour but blue. The huntsman of a friend of mine being asked the 

 name of a young hound, said ' it was Lyman.' ' Lyman ! ' said his master, 

 ' why, James, what does Lyman mean ? ' ' Lord, Sir ! ' replied James 

 ' what does anything mean ? ' A farmer, who bred up two couple of hounds 

 for me, whose names were Merryman and Merrylass, Ferryman and Furious, 

 upon my inquiring after them, gave this account : ' Merryman and Merry- 

 lass are both dead ; but Ferryman, Sir, is a fine dog, and so is Ferrylass.' 

 Madam, a usual name among hounds, is often, I believe, very disrespectfully 

 treated : I had an instance of it the other day in my own huntsman, who, 

 after having rated Madam a great deal to no purpose (who, to confess the 

 truth, was much given to do otherwise than she should), flew into a violent 

 passion, and hallooed out as loud as he could, Madam, you d d bitch ! 



As you desire a list of names, I will send you one. I have endeavoured 

 to class them according to their different genders ; but you will perceive that 

 some names may be used indiscriminately for either. It is not usual, I 

 believe, to call a pointer Ringwood, or a greyhound Harmony ; and such 



1 Hounds which I had thought stiff-nosed for many years, I have seen hunt the coldest 

 scent, when once the impatience of youth had left them. 



