96 MANAGEMENT OF HOUNDS. 



seasons at least, and their characters have become 

 thoroughly established. I have heard of nearly a hun- 

 dred couples of whelps being bred in some large esta- 

 blishments in one season. Where such is the case, there 

 must be a good deal of casualty work. The strength of 

 a pack of foxhounds consists in the number of three and 

 four seasoned hunters, and to keep up this, you must 

 enter a sufficient number of young hounds each year. 

 The distemper varies very much according to the season ; 

 it is, therefore, the wisest plan, when you have a good 

 lot of young hounds safe over the distemper, to keep as 

 many as you can. By putting them with a certain 

 number of old hounds you can form two distinct packs, 

 promoting the young, as they become steady, to your 

 best lot. Young hounds which are very riotous the first 

 season I have often found turn out the best afterwards. 

 We must recollect that at their walks they have little 

 attention paid them, and are at liberty to follow any 

 game that comes in their way, but, by quiet and decided 

 treatment, they will soon be broken from these bad 

 habits. 



A very experienced and clever gentleman huntsman 

 told me he never cared about his young hounds running 

 hare ; he said he generally left them alone, and when 

 they had their fun out, as he called it, without encou- 

 ragement, they very soon found out their mistake, and 

 became steady to fox of their own accord. This latitude 

 is somewhat extensive ; I am not, however, prepared 

 to assert but that there is a good deal of reason in it. 

 Dogs are sensible animals, and soon discover what they are 

 required to do. If young hounds would always break 

 themselves within a given timet we might allow them, as 



