PACE 



the years 1406 and 141 3, and from it one soon 

 discovers that the sportsmen of that period were 

 possessed of a very intimate acquaintance with 

 the habits and " nature" of the wild animals 

 they pursued. They were well aware of the 

 necessity for pressing a beast at some period of 

 the run, particularly if the animal was fleet footed. 

 In order to keep up the pressure, they employed 

 relays of hounds. In the chapter on " The 

 Wolf and his nature " it says : " They go so fast 

 when they be void (empty) that men have let run 

 four leashes of greyhounds, one after the other 

 and they could not overtake him, for he runs as 

 fast as any beast in the world, and he lasts long 

 running, for he has a long breath." 



At the time the book was written, it was 

 customary to take the fox in coverts, with hounds 

 and nets. In the open he was apparently coursed 

 with greyhounds. 



When hounds run together as a pack, the 

 pressure they bring to bear on their quarry is 

 dependent not only on pace, but on the com- 

 petitive spirit aroused amongst them, what we 

 call drive. When a hound gets his hackles up, 

 and exhibits a keenness to be always pushing on, 

 then he has plenty of drive. A pack, the in- 

 dividual hounds of which are always working at 

 high pressure, is therefore sure to be a killing one. 



97 



