FELIv HOUNDS 



presented with hounds of that type. Tommy 

 liked hounds of the true fell sort, and on one 

 occasion being asked what he was going to do 

 with a big gift hound, promptly replied, " Cut 

 it i' two, cut it i' two." 



On another occasion a hound unfortunately 

 took to sheep worrying. One of the field, noting 

 the absence of the hound on the next hunting day, 

 asked Tommy where it was. That worthy 

 tersely replied, " Mutton, mutton." 



There is no denying the fact that fell hounds 

 on a good scenting day get up a tremendous pace. 

 Pace is, of course, difficult to judge exactly, but 

 we doubt if many south-country hounds can 

 equal them in an ordinary enclosed country. 

 On the fells the average fashionable hound is 

 nowhere when it comes to travelling, although 

 one meets with exceptions here and there. What 

 one would like to see is a trial between a few 

 couples of fell hounds and an equal number of 

 south-country hounds, the test to take place first 

 in the Shires or one of the provincial countries, 

 and after that on the fells. If such a trial is 

 ever held, it is quite probable that the upholders 

 of the fashionable sort will have their eyes opened, 

 both as regards the working ability and the pace 

 of the fell hounds. 



A peculiarity of the fell hounds is that they do 

 not break up their foxes. At times, if they are 

 a bit above themselves, or have had a sharp scurry 

 after a bolt from an earth, they will tear and eat 

 a portion of their fox, but usually they are content 

 to kill, and let it go at that. This trait is no 

 doubt the result of inherited instinct, for in the 

 old days when the northern hounds hunted mart 

 and hare before the fox became an accredited 

 beast of chase they were not allowed to break 



173 



