The Hound, 131 



white spot on one side of her head, and it was 

 unnecessary to try her qualities in the field, as 

 this would spoil the appearance of his pack! 



The hunting in England does not call for the 

 |x>ssession of the same qualities in hounds as it 

 does in America. There the climatic and atmos- 

 pheric conditions are generally favorable, espe- 

 cially in the moist grass countries, where trail- 

 ing conditions are such that scent hangs breast 

 high, and a hound with half a nose could run it 

 at top speed. 



The coverts are convenient and small, the 

 huntsman knows within a few hundred yards of 

 where the fox ''uses," and can lay his hounds on 

 the line at any time. The foxes are fat, sleek, 

 well fed, and in an untrained condition — a 

 straight away run of eight or ten miles is un- 

 common. The runs seldom exceed one and a half 

 or two hours, once in a dozen chases. 



If a check or loss is made the hounds have 

 the assistance of huntsmen, whippers in, earth 

 stoppers, and the hunter in regaining the line. 



The problem that confronts the American 

 hound is an altogether different proposition. Our 

 coverts and forests are extremely large, the foxes 

 remaining wild and timid, and seldom pass twen- 

 ty-four hours without a run of from four to eight 

 hours, the hounds frequently running them by 

 themselves without hunters (unless the packs are 



