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^lour does not please the eye. We are all rather 

 prone to this sort of " eye-wash." and the pack that 

 appears level at the meet cannot really enjoy jbhat 

 distinction unless it possess neither " head " nor 

 " tail " in running. In discussing the colour ques- 

 tion, size may seem a side issue, and my only reason 

 for introducing it here is because in speaking of an 

 evenly-matched pack both size and colour are meant. 

 A pack of this description is very attractive, par- 

 ticularly when there is a general similarity of type 

 and expression. It may be a pleasing sight on the 

 flags or at a meejb, but according to my ideas it 

 cannot be called level unless the proverbial sheet 

 covers it in running. 



In Cecil's Hunting Tours, published in 1863, I 

 notice there was at that date a leaning towards the 

 Belvoir tan and the gradual elimination of the lighter 

 colours has been going on ever since. Probably the 

 reason ihis tendency has taken such a long time to 

 reach its present state is that huntsmen were loth 

 to part with their best working hounds, which very 

 frequently were either badger or lemon pied. There 

 is no doubt in my mind that certain characteristics 

 are the inseparable attributes of colour, derived prob- 

 ably from some ancestqr in the distant past. When, 

 therefore, we see hounds of a particular colour are 

 almost invariably extra good in their work, it must 

 bo foolish to discard them because they do not please 

 the eye. The Berkeley retained the light colours 

 longer than any other pack of repute, and enjoyed 

 a great reputation for its performances in the field. 

 Amongst other good qualities it was renowned for 

 " tongue," a very important attribute of a hound, 

 and in which many present-day packs are lamentably 



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