Hounds at Work 



posed of pure-bred hounds, most of them 

 being a scratch lot of foxhounds and otter- 

 hounds. Mr. Holland Buckley in Wales re- 

 sorted to a bloodhound cross, not, however, 

 with the most satisfactory results, I believe. 

 Last on my list of hounds hunting by 

 scent comes the bloodhound, a noble-looking, 

 dignified creature familiar to all frequenters 

 of dog shows. His predisposition to a fatal 

 form of distemper militates against his 

 universal popularity, but if people only 

 recognised what splendid sport he is capable 

 of giving I think he would be more generally 

 kept. If the present attempt to strengthen 

 the constitution of the breed by means of 

 various out-crosses is successful, as there is 

 reason to hope that it may be, we may look 

 for a wider recognition of the value of this 

 beautiful hound. To many the name has a 

 sinister significance. Does he not hunt man, 

 and have not the pages of history and 

 popular fiction dwelt upon his relentless 

 pursuit of his human quarry with dire results 



57 8 



