142 Horse and Hound. 



periment of an infusion of the Irish Maryland 

 blood, but were not pleased with the results. 



Mr. W. S. Walker states that the best hounds 

 they have ever owned contained one-eighth Eng- 

 lish, one-eighth Lead, and six-eighths native 

 Walker strain. 



The Byron hounds, of Virginia, at one time 

 in the earlier history of fox-hunting, were con- 

 sidered the bluest of blue bloods in the hound 

 family. The original stock was owned and 

 hunted by Colonel Tucker. His best stallion 

 hound was Byron, from whom the strain took 

 their name. Byron was sired by Rattler (the 

 star of the Percival pack, 1830) ; grandsire, For- 

 rester; all of the Byron strain greatly resembled 

 the Irish hounds of Maryland. 



After the war they were scattered all over 

 the South and the purity of the blood, as a strain, 

 lost. 



The Henry strain of hounds owe their name 

 and existence to Dr. Thomas Henry, a Virginian, 

 and a grandson of Patrick Henry, of Revolu- 

 tionary fame. His stallion hound Captain was 

 by Traveler, out of Sophy, both of whom were 

 by Mountain, and out of Muse. Mountain and 

 Muse were imported from Ireland in 18 12 by Mr. 

 Bolton Jackson, of Sharpsburg, Maryland, and 

 they transmitted the best qualities of the Irish 

 hounds to their descendants. 



Mr. Geo. L. F. Birdsong, of Georgia, in the 



