174 Cross Country with Horse and Hound 



special care and attention. They are separated from the 

 pack and put in special lying-in kennels, their diet changed 

 somewhat with the view of diminishing fever and increas- 

 ing the flow of milk. 



When now the third revolving moon appears 

 With sharpen'd horns above the horizon's brink, 

 Without Lucina's aid, expect thy hopes 

 Are amply crown'd; short pangs produce to light 

 The smoking litter, crawling, helpless, blind ; 

 Nature their guide, they seek the pouting teat. 



The puppies are confined with their mothers in the ken- 

 nels for a time, and later a wire netting gives them a small 

 enclosure. In fact, they are treated very much like a brood 

 of chickens. From four to six puppies is the average 

 number in a litter. Their eyes open when they are about 

 ten days old, and the small enclosure is eventually removed, 

 giving the whelps the freedom of the lawn or paddock. 

 It is a beautiful sight — forty or fifty fat, awkward puppies 

 tumbling about on the green. This goes on for six or 

 eight weeks, during which time they are taught to lap 

 milk preparatory to being weaned. After weaning they 

 live first on milk alone. Later they may find a bit of 

 nicely cooked oatmeal in the bottom of the pan, to which 

 presently is added a bit of cooked meat chopped fine. A 

 little later still, meat is given to them raw. About this 

 time, too, the huntsman goes out to call on farmers or 

 others whom he thinks may take a puppy to walk. Be- 

 fore a puppy is fit to wean, he is carefully tattooed or 

 marked about his ears, and branded on his side, and a care- 



