50 THE AMERICAN FOXHOUND 



THE WALKER STRAIN. 

 By A. C. Heffenger, M. D. 



Since the advent of high class foxhounds in New England, 

 fox-hunters are continually asking of what blood these pro- 

 gressive hounds are constituted, and how they came by their 

 magnificent quality, so that a few words of explanation anent 

 this strain may be acceptable to the hunting readers of your 

 book. Mr. Walker, senior, the father of the now celebrated 

 Walker brothers, and Gen. Wash Maupin, were brought up and 

 lived very near each other in Kentucky. The home of Gen. 

 Maupin was in Madison county, the most noted hound county 

 in Kentucky. Mr. Walker, senior, and Gen. Maupin began 

 hunting together with the same hounds when quite young men. 

 They were genuine hunters, loved their hounds, took great pains 

 in breeding them, and had the best to be got. This was in the 

 time of the gray fox, about 1813, or ninety-two years ago. They 

 also hunted deer, not with a shot-gun, but in true sportsmanlike 

 form, allowing their hounds to do the killing. They hunted 

 harder, or gave their hounds more continuous work, than any 

 other hunters of their time. 



When the red fox made his appearance, they soon found that 

 their hounds were not equal to the task of successfully coping 

 with him, and set about to get the necessary hound qualities, 

 demanded to run do^\^l and kill the fleet, tricky, enduring 

 newcomer. 



The first out-cross that was made, was to a small black and 

 tan hound called Tennessee Lead, upon the best bitches of the 

 combined packs. This cross is said to have greatly improved the 

 striking, casting and speed of the strain. The pedigree of 

 Tennessee Lead is unknown, which is a great pity, for he was a 

 phenomenal hound. He was found running a deer on the 

 Cumberland mountains, Tenn., by a man returning from the 

 South, who took him to Kentucky and gave him to Gen. 

 Maupin. 



A short time after this, in or about 1853, they imported a 

 couple of English foxliounds, dog and bitch. The bitch was im- 

 ported in whelp, and gave birth to five pups (four dogs and a 

 bitch) after reaching Kentucky. This English blood was not 

 only crossed upon the other dogs, but inbred upon itself, with 

 wonderfully good results . 



