THE IMPROVED ART OF FARRIERY. 433 



Harriers, and are trained solely to hare-hunting. The 

 southern hound is supposed to be the original breed 

 of this dog, and is still found in some of the swampy- 

 districts of the kingdom, and are much higher than 

 the harrier. 



Nothing can exceed the ardour with which the 

 thorough-bred harrier pursues the sports of the chase, 

 often outstripping the fleetest huntsman. 



A mixed breed between this and the large terrier, 

 forms a strong, active, and hardy hound, which is used 

 in hunting the otter. Jt is rough, wire-haired, thick 

 quartered, and thin shouldered. The property, breed- 

 ing, matching, and training these dogs, make up. the 

 business of many persons lives. 



Mr. Beckford says, that, " Harriers to be good, like 

 all other hounds, must be kept to their own game. If 

 you run a fox with them you spoil them. Hounds 

 cannot be perfect unless used to one scent, and one 

 style of hunting. Harriers run fox in so different a 

 style from hare, that it is of great disservice to them, 

 when they return to hare again : it makes them wild, 

 and teaches them to skirt. The high scent which a 

 fox leaves, the straightness of his running, the eager- 

 ness of the pursuit, and the noise that generally ac- 

 companies it, all contribute to spoil a harrier. 



" It is a fault in a pack of harriers to go too fast. A 

 hare is such a little timorous animal, that we cannot 

 help feeling some compassion for at the very time we 

 are pursuing her destruction : we should give scope to 

 all her Uttle tricks, nor kill her foully and over- 

 matched. Instinct instructs her to make a good de- 

 fence when not unfairly treated ; and as far as her 

 safety is concerned, she has more cunning than the 

 fox, and makes many shifts to save her life far beyond 

 all his artifice. 



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