FElvIv HUNTING 



In the old days when packs were trencher-fed, 

 each man who walked a hound considered it his 

 privilege to " man on" or " harden on" his 

 own particular charge. Very often this led to 

 some confusion as a favourite name was often 

 given to more than one hound. For instance 

 there might be half-a-dozen Rallys in the pack, 

 and in order to distinguish them each one was 

 known by its colour, such as White Rally, Black 

 Rally, etc. 



Though inevitable in these modern days, the 

 passing of the trencher-fed hound is to be regretted. 

 Under the new regime sport has certainly im- 

 proved, for hounds are now much more evenly 

 conditioned than was possible in their trencher- 

 fed days. Still, want of uniformity in feeding 

 and exercise does not make so much difference as 

 some people imagine, while trencher-fed hounds 

 were wonderfully free from ailments, and they 

 remained as runners-up for many seasons. When 

 farmers and tradesmen walked hounds all the 

 year round — even if they themselves did not 

 hunt — they took a keen interest in the pack, and 

 had its honour and welfare at heart. The 

 democratic interest in sport that existed in the old 

 days was more or less lost when hounds were put 

 in kennel, and the status of the Hunt increased. 

 Hounds had been walked at certain farms from 

 generation to generation, and the various families 

 took a pride in their own particular charge. 

 While we still have farmers' packs, and in many 

 countries the farmers are still good men to hounds, 

 the old interest has evidently dwindled since 

 newcomers have taken to fox-hunting, a sport 

 which at one time was peculiarly that of the 

 agriculturalist. 



In the Lake District much of the old interest 

 remains, for although hovmds are kennelled during 



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