144 The Hunting Field With Horse and Hound 



ing characteristics in a single animal, to modify this, perpetuate 

 that, to exterminate one thing and ingraft another, was the 

 problem. Out of this oil and water mixture to produce a per- 

 fect hound was a task of greater magnitude than has ever been 

 successfully carried out with any other line of cross breeding. 

 The persistent, methodical, painstaking English Masters and 

 their huntsmen have been working at this for over 200 years. 

 The best results yet to be achieved, as we have already shown, 

 are found at the Belvoir kennels. 



An up-to-date English foxhound must possess the 

 following qualifications to be good enough to satisfy the 

 breeder. 



First, as judged on the flags when he arrives at the kennels 

 from his "walk," he must not be too tall nor too short. The 

 standard of Belvoir is 23 inches for dog hounds and 22 for 

 females. Then comes a long list of defects in general confor- 

 mation, as to feet and legs, back and loin, neck and throat. 

 Passing muster in these, he must prove in the field to be neither 

 too fast nor too slow ; too free of giving tongue, nor too mute ; 

 neither a skirter nor a line hunter. His voice must be neither 

 too high nor too low, but harmonise with the pack. He must 

 not tell a lie nor run riot. He must have great stajdng quali- 

 ties, for it has been the custom since the days of the first Duke, 

 "when the Belvoir goes out for a day's hunting, to keep on 

 di'awing coverts," says Bradley, "until dark, no matter how 

 far hounds are from the kennels." A hound with a weakness is 

 sure to be winded out. Therefore the stamina and endurance 

 of the Belvoir hound are easily accounted for (the Belvoir hunt 

 five days a week ) . He must possess fling and drive in covert. 

 He must be a hunting dog, relying on his own endeavours to 

 follow the line of the hunted fox, as if hunting alone. His 

 speed must be as great as his endurance. His nose and drive 

 must be so well-balanced that he will race to the line with a good 

 head, and not tie himself to it with painstaking plodding. If 



