FEl.Iv HOUNDS 



spring in the right direction. The general im- 

 pression afforded by a fell hound is a complete 

 antithesis of that provided by a hound of Peter- 

 borough type. Instead of size, weight and 

 power, we have lightness, activity, and pace, 

 coupled with wonderful stamina ; in fact exactly 

 the type required to cope with the steep slopes — 

 from 45° to 70° — and the dangerous crags and 

 general rough going to be found on our lyakeland 

 fells. 



There is some slight variation of type in fell 

 hounds in general, chiefly noticeable in an increase 

 of height and bone. From time to time outside 

 blood from south-country and other packs has 

 been requisitioned for the purpose of increasing 

 bone, and this out-crossing has in some instances 

 tended towards the production of darker colour 

 in individual hounds. Our fell hounds trace 

 their origin back to the old Talbot tans, while 

 later they acquired a certain infusion of pointer 

 blood. The latter was introduced in order to 

 make hounds carry their heads higher, and to 

 give more scope for liberty of limb, and a con- 

 sequent increase in pace when running trail. In 

 the fell type of hound white is the predommant 

 colour, added to which we find lemon and white, 

 black and white, badger pie, hare pie, and black 

 and tan. The latter constantly recurs in dif- 

 ferent fell packs, being a throw back to the rich 

 tan of the original Talbots. Although these 

 tan-coloured hounds come of a capital hunting 

 strain, too many of them in a fell pack are not 

 desirable, inasmuch as they are difficult to see at 

 a distance against a dark background of rock or 

 heather. 



On the fells, the ground is chiefly composed of 

 steep slopes, interspersed with deep ghylls, crags, 



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