18 MANAGEMENT OF HOUNDS. 



lumber about him, but all bone and muscle. He lived 

 with me many years, was an excellent servant, rode well 

 up to his hounds across country, and never killed or in- 

 jured a horse the whole time he was in my service, which 

 he only left to take a huntsman's place. The man who 

 succeeded him was a light weight, and in my own opinion 

 a very bad rider, although always up with the hounds. 

 He played the rogue with his horses, and killed one of 

 the best of mine before the season was over. 



The feeder should be a young active man, not afraid 

 of work, sober, good tempered, and fond of animals. 

 When your young hounds come into kennel he will have 

 plenty to do, if the hunting season is not over. 



We hear every year of the fearful ravages committed 

 by the distemper, and no wonder ; the wonder is that 

 so many live through it. In place of the free air of 

 the country, with the wide fields to roam over, for health 

 and exercise, the young hounds are suddenly transferred 

 to a prison, highly fed, but without the necessary ac- 

 companiment to health — fresh air and exercise. They 

 soon sicken, as a matter of course. Prevention is better 

 than cure — although I do not mean to say the distemper 

 can be prevented altogether from attacking young hounds 

 when brought into the confinement of a kennel yard ; 

 but it may be ameliorated, and the hounds prepared to 

 resist its attacks, by careful and judicious treatment. I 

 know some old and good sportsmen have an idea that 

 high feeding is alone suflicient to withstand the ravages 

 of this dreadful malady. Nature unassisted will do 

 much, but wisely assisted will do more. Some kennels 

 are lightly visited by this scourge of the canine race, 

 others suffer with severity. In some seasons, also, it is 



