THE FOXHOUND 65 



b'reast rather, wide than narrow, his chest deep, 

 his back broad, his head small, his neck thin, 

 his tail thick and brushy* if he carry it well so 

 much' the better." Why te -Melville has said very 

 much the same thing in his poem, " The King of the 

 Kennel '-'.: 



"On the straightest of legs and the roundest of feet, 

 With ribs like a frigate his timbers to meet, 

 With a fashion and fling and a form so complete, 

 That to see him dance over the flags is a treat ! " 



Not only must a Foxhound have great scenting power, 

 but he must possess drive and tongue, so that there 

 are many points to consider before we can produce 

 a perfect animal. A dog hound weighs from 70 Ib. 

 to 80 Ib., and a bitch some 10 Ib. less. The 

 former would stand about 23 or 24 inches at the 

 shoulder, while the ladies may be one or two inches 

 shorter. It is usual in hunting to separate the sexes, 

 having a dog pack and a bitch pack, as closely 

 matched for size as possible. A pack may range 

 in number from fifty to ninety couples of hounds, and 

 it is no light task to keep these fit and well throughout 

 the year. A good pack is worth a small fortune, and 

 as lon\g ago as 1845 Mr. Foljambe's hounds realised 

 3,600 guineas. 



Book of the Dog. Q 



