FOXES FOXHOUNDS & FOX-HUNTING 



with a dash of Bedlington blood, courage and 

 gameness of course undeniable. It doesn't 

 matter a jot really what breed a terrier is, so long 

 as he is dead game and will go up to his fox 

 whenever or wherever he is sent m. In the case 

 of a badger, the terrier's job is to lie up close to 

 Mr. Brock, and throw his tongue steadily so that 

 the workers know in which direction to dig. The 

 dog that goes in recklessly to a badger generally 

 learns a severe lesson, and may be lucky to 

 escape with his life. The same thing may happen 

 in a rock earth m the case of a small terrier at- 

 tempting to reach a fox on a ledge. Every time 

 the dog tries to climb up, the fox chops down on 

 him, and in the end the terrier gets unmercifully 

 punished. 



Again, too, a short-legged dog may slide down 

 sloping rocks underground, but be quite unable 

 to make the return journey, whereas a longer 

 legged terrier can surmount such obstacles. 

 Some people appear to imagine that a terrier 

 creeps into an earth on his chest, whereas he 

 always lies on his side if the passage is low, and 

 works himself in with his legs. For this reason 

 a broad-chested dog cannot get into such a small 

 place as a terrier with a narrow chest, even though 

 he may be shorter in the leg. In the same way 

 with an upright crack or crevice the narrow- 

 chested dog has a decided advantage. Sound, 

 level teeth, and a strong jaw are essential to a 

 terrier, because he may corner his fox and have 

 to do battle. The average fox is a determined 

 fighter under such circumstances, and it is hardly 

 fair to ask a small terrier to tackle him alone. A 

 hill-fox of 171b. or iSlb. not only has the advantage 

 in weight, but has chosen the superior position 

 beforehand, and is thus able to deal out punish- 



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