LETTER III. 



As the efficiency of the pack will depend upon judicious 

 breeding, I should recommend your not making use of 

 any hounds for this purpose until they have been fairly 

 tried, for two seasons at least, in the field ; by this time 

 their real characters will be thoroughly developed, and 

 there is not much risk of their altering afterwards. 



The bitches you breed from should possess certain 

 points of symmetry, or they will not produce fine progeny. 

 Without length in their flanks and width over their loins, 

 they will not prove good brood bitches ; and without 

 such, no pack of hounds can be kept lip to a proper 

 standard. 



The symmetry of a foxhound, to be perfect, must be 

 nearly as possible as follows : — Head rather wide than 

 narrow, neck long and clean, shoulders lying well back, 

 muscles behind the shoulder blades full, ribs wide rather 

 than deep, back long with good loins, fore legs short and 

 straight, and standing clear of the body at the elbows, 

 feet round, plenty of muscle in the thighs, hams long, 

 hocks short to the foot. Many fancy narrow heads, and 

 a deep rather than wide chest. That is the greyhound 

 shape. Such hounds may run a quick burst to perfection, 

 but for hard work and lasting qualities give me the wide 

 ribs, with plenty of room for the play of the lungs. 



One hears a great deal in the present day about snake 



