438 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND 



their natural constitutions under severe and continued 

 exertions? 



We have had occasion to remark more than once 

 upon the useless incumbrance of a too numerous 

 body of hounds maintained in many large establish- 

 ments of the present day ; and although Mr. 

 Meynell, in his early career of M.P.H._, made that 

 greatest of all mistakes, in depending upon numerical 

 strength — taking nearly a hundred couples of hounds 

 into the field — by sowing his wild oats in this 

 manner he very soon became aware of the exceedingly 

 wild practice he had been pursuing. We need not 

 again quote the opinion of our hunting poet, Somer- 

 ville, upon this subject — who, by the way, must have 

 been well blooded to fox and hare to WTite as he has 

 so accurately upon all things appertaining to those 

 sports, entering also into details which we should 

 suppose no other than an experienced master of 

 hounds could be acquainted with. 



The work of a foxhound is not more severe, in the 

 season, than that of a pointer^ setter, or spaniel, and 

 yet these latter are going on and doing their master 

 good service long after the former has been discarded, 

 simply because they have been better fed and cared 

 for. No man could be trained upon mutton broth 

 and porridge to win a prize fight or a boat race. 

 Liquids and farinaceous food will not alone suffice 

 for such purposes. Take thirty couples of foxhounds, 

 feed them twice a da}^, at the least, upon more flesh 

 — not raw, or over- boiled to rags — than meal, and 

 they will do more efficient work than double that 

 number usually treated by the general system of 



