FOXES FOXHOUNDS & FOX-HUNTING 



" the forearm of a lion " is necessary to a hound, 

 how is it that the light built hounds of the North 

 and West run up for many seasons, and kill 

 their share of the stout hill-foxes ? 



Speaking of the North Cotswold country, Mr. 

 Bradley says, " The rough going and stone-wall 

 jumping does not favour a heavily-built hound, 

 shaking their knees and damaging their toes." 

 If this is the case, then how much more forcibly 

 does the same thing apply to many other countries 

 which are far rougher than the one mentioned. 

 Even if we take it for granted that a pack of 

 hounds of the standard type, the individuals of 

 which may weigh from 80 lb. to 90 lb. or more 

 apiece, is suited to a level or undulating grass 

 country such as is provided by the Shires, surely 

 the upholders of that type of hound cannot 

 seriously believe that it is equally well suited to 

 rough countries such as are to be found in parts of 

 Yorkshire, Wales, or Cumberland and Westmor- 

 land. If a heavy hound is unsuited to an 

 ordinary provincial country like the North Cots- 

 wold, how would he fare if asked to hunt a fox 

 over Helvellyn in company with a fast, racing 

 pack of fell hounds ? He would, we are afraid, 

 be last, and a long way last, when the fox was 

 finally run into. This is of course taking an 

 extreme case, but there are plenty of hunting 

 countries, in fact it is pretty safe to say that the 

 majority of provincial countries, are too rough 

 for the big heavy hound such as we see winning 

 honours at Peterborough. 



That the standard type is used in such coun- 

 tries we cannot deny, but is the result satisfactory 

 from an economic point of view ? To take one 

 example. We have in mind a certain provincial 

 pack which was at one time trencher-fed, and 



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