THE PACK 269 



The quality and appearance of the pack 

 undoubtedly depend to a great extent on their 

 size. " How on earth do you get them this size 

 and looking so much alike ? " is a question one often 

 hears asked ; and indeed none but a trained hound 

 man would ever detect that they are a draft pack. 

 The answer is that it is due to the knowledge, 

 industry, and judicious liberality of the Master. 

 The work is indeed a heavy one : nearly twenty 

 couple of puppies have to be entered every year, and 

 the Master spends a good deal of his short close 

 time of three months in looking at puppies. At one 

 time the most ridiculous looking brutes used to be 

 submitted for inspection, simply on account of their 

 size, but the requirements of the hunt are now so 

 well understood by Masters and huntsmen alike that 

 the process is much simplified. To many Masters 

 and their servants thanks are due for the friendly 

 interest they display in the matter, and the care and 

 trouble they take when they have a puppy likely to 

 suit the Devon and Somerset. 



The first thing that strikes one on looking at the 

 pack is the obvious preponderance of the Belvoir 

 type of hound ; this is due to two causes. For 

 several years Mr. Sanders has secured the whole 

 of the Belvoir draft, subsequently disposing of such 

 as were not up to the standard ; secondly, the 

 remainder of the- pack is to a great extent drawn 

 from kennels like the Warwickshire, the York and 

 Ainsty, Mr. Fernie's, and the Quorn which have 



