162 THE NOBLE SCIENCE. 



the least of it, a most unreasonable tax upon instinct. 

 If a hound never notices the scent of hare in chase, 

 you cannot blame him if he chops one, or even pauses to 

 share a dainty meal, quickly dispatched, with a comrade 

 or two. For 



" Reason raise o'er instinct as we can, 

 In this 'tis God that works, in that 'tis man." 



He would be a fool if he did not " take the good 

 the gods provide " him, under his nose ; but the 

 whipper-in must be quick in the detection of such 

 occurrences, must be active in forcing his way instantly 

 to the rescue of the victim, which rescue, with whip 

 and rating voice, he must effect, making the hound 

 feel conscious that he cannot, with impunity, perpe- 

 trate any act of which he is ashamed. The best and 

 steadiest of packs cannot be free entirely from hounds 

 which will occasionally run riot, such hounds being 

 frequently most invaluable when once upon a fox. Any 

 hound that does not instantly desist from running riot, 

 when properly rated, should be caught up, if there 

 be time (and it is seldom that this occurs during real 

 business), and chastised on the spot. If it be expedient 

 to punish a hound, it is folly to do it by halves. Couple 

 his fore-legs under his neck, let him He writhing in futile 

 efforts to follow the pack, while the whipper-in remains 

 to administer the lash behind. He is in no danger of 

 bruises from the double thong, but he cannot escape a 

 stroke of the lash that *' bites to the quick." It must 



