210 MANAGEMENT OF HOUNDS. 



we came down upon him in a small fir plantation, just 

 on the verge of the downs, and race No. 2 commenced 

 in right good earnest. The ground, however, was more 

 difficult for horses, and the hounds had it pretty much 

 their own way, as before, running up and down and 

 round the hill for about fifteen minutes, when they 

 finished this fox also off-hand. 



Running over open downs is all very well as a variety. 

 It shows also the speed of the hounds ; but for sport 

 give me a vale country, with variety of ground, where 

 the good quality of a pack of hounds may be seen to 

 more advantage. A good woodland day is, in my esti- 

 mation, far preferable to the fastest skurry over naked 

 turf. In one case hounds have only to go as fast as 

 their legs can carry them ; in the other, their noses and 

 staunchness have the severest trial. Although in the 

 first part of this letter I have recommended short days 

 and short work to a pack of hounds out of blood, yet 

 with hounds in good heart and condition great liberties 

 may be taken, and the day ought never to be too long. 

 No pack of hounds ever did harder work or travelled 

 longer distances than my own ; but then they were of 

 my own breeding, selected with care from the very best 

 blood, which was always the first point of consideration 

 with me, and conspicuous for high courage and lasting 

 qualities. They were large hounds, with plenty 6f bone 

 and muscle, and good legs and feet. The dogs averaged 

 25 and 26 inches in height, and the bitches 24. In the 

 fast thing we had over the downs a bitch, standing full 

 25 inches, took the lead the whole distance. Many 

 opinions were expressed adversely to such hounds doing 

 their work in a woodland and hilly country ; but I never 



