HOUNDS 129 



Q, What remarks have you to make about 

 suitable medicines ? Should sulphur be given 

 periodically ? 



A. "An occasional dose of Epsom salts does 

 hounds good ; and a little sulphur mixed in their 

 food now and again is beneficial." 



Q. What are the ordinary hours for feeding 

 in summer, and winter ? What are the ordinary 

 hours for feeding before hunting ? What are 

 the ordinary hours for feeding delicate hounds ? 



A. "In the summer-time the best time to feed 

 is about four o'clock in the afternoon, and in the 

 winter about eight o'clock in the morning. The 

 pack intended for hunting should not be fed after 

 the previous morning, but have a good feed after 

 returning from hunting. Delicate hounds require 

 a bit twice a day, especially after a hard day." 



Q. Do you find certain traits run in families 

 such as road-hunting : extra drive ; good drawers 

 in covert, &c. ? 



A. " Certainly, and it requires a lot of study- 

 ing in breeding hounds, to mate them so as to 

 nick in with the different qualities." 



In illustration of this in the early sixties a 

 hound, Layman, in the York and Ainsty pack, had 

 the habit of always seizing the fox's head, when 

 one was killed, and either carrying it till another 

 fox was found, or else taking it home to the 

 kennels — for at that time it was not the custom 

 to attach the fox's mask to the whip's saddle ; 

 Layman continued this practice until a son of his, 

 Villager, a very fine hound, was admitted into the 

 pack, and the latter, being possessed of no filial 

 respect, proceeded to usurp his sire's prerogative, 

 and ever afterwards carried the head himself. 

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