1 90 FOX-HUNTING 



instinct and reason is difficult to define. How- 

 ever tender-nosed a hound may be, he will very 

 seldom develop a capacity for hunting a road until 

 he is in his third or fourth season. A good road 

 hound is not of so much importance in the pur- 

 suit of the fox as in that of the hare, but he is 

 very useful sometimes. You will see the whole 

 pack at fault on a road and one hound will go 

 gaily on throwing his tongue, whilst the others 

 can make nothing of it ; but yet this hound will 

 not be noted for any greater excellence in the 

 fields. Why is this ? I have no answer to this 

 question ; but I imagine there is much less scent on 

 a road, and also that the different surface entirely 

 changes its character. The majority of the pack 

 are confused by this change ; but the one hound, 

 having more reasoning power than his fellows, has 

 noticed the change on previous occasions, and 

 makes allowance when it occurs again. Hounds 

 differ in their individual characters quite as much 

 as human beings, and though one that is a fool 

 may have an excellent nose, he will never shine 

 above the others in his work. One of the greatest 

 objections against breeding hounds too close is 

 that their brain-power becomes reduced. 



