304 MANAGEMENT OF HOUNDS. 



young hounds, to hear of the many and serious losses 

 which result from the distemper, which is actually in- 

 voked by this culpable and negligent mode of treatment ? 

 I shall be told, that the hunting season not being ended, 

 the huntsman and feeder are too much occupied to have 

 any spare time to exercise the young hounds, and there- 

 fore, they must do, as others have done before — take 

 their chance. So, of course, they must, if such is your 

 excuse, and you will run the risk of losing several of, 

 perhaps, your best young hounds, merely to suit your 

 huntsman's fancy, or because you do not think it worth 

 your while to adopt any remedial measures. The cost 

 of employing two extra hands for the first month — and 

 that would be the only one necessary — would amount 

 to the large sum of four pounds sterling, supposing that 

 two men were employed at 10s per week, merely to walk 

 with the young hounds for two or three hours a day, the 

 feeder, of course, going with them. By this plan they 

 would not only be kept in health, but be ready to go 

 out of couples by the time the hunting season was over, 

 and Jack's services would not be required to break them 

 from running those little flighty animals, some with short 

 and some with long tails, abounding in most villages, and 

 which Mr. Slowman used to designate by the opprojbrious 

 epithet of car dogs. 



There is a vast deal of stuff and nonsense talked by 

 huntsmen in breaking-in young hounds. The fact is, 

 but for the absurd custom of shutting them up away 

 from the sight of every other living animal but them- 

 selves for at least a month or two after they come in 

 from their walks, they would require no breaking at all, 

 except from hare or deer. From puppi/hood they have 



