62 THE ETON COLLEGE HUNT, 



packs o£ beagles in England. I feel that this might be a suitable 

 time to suggest : 



(i) That the Master of beagles should summon a meeting 

 of present Etonians and any Old Etonians interested in the 

 subject to decide now and for ever on the standard of height 

 of the Eton beagles. 



(ii) That this standard should be fixed with a view to 

 showing as much sport to their followers as is possible in the 

 limited number of hours at their disposal. 



(iii) That the matter should be thoroughly thrashed out, 

 and that it should not be in the power of succeeding Masters 

 to change either the standard of height or type fixed for 

 their benefit by their predecessors on due consideration. 



(iv) That some * standard of type ' of hound should be 



decided upon; whether it be the true beagle type, the 



harrier type with a dash of southern blood, or the small 



harrier type (Lilliputian foxhound). 



'' I think this should induce succeeding Masters to adhere 



to some particular type, without which no pack can hope to 



become uniform, much less when a different Master is at their 



head almost every three years. 



'* Let us then draw up a standard of both height and type 

 and depict on paper an Eton beagle. The rest lies with the 

 Master and his kennelman. Let him 



' For ev'ry longing dame select 



Some happy paramour Consider well 



His lineage ; what his fathers did of old, 



Chiefs of the pack, and first to climb the rock. 



Or plunge into the deep, or thread the brake 



With thorns sharp-pointed, plash'd and briars inwoven. 



Observe with care his shape, sort, colour, size.' 



SOMERVILE. 



'* From personal experience I know exactly what it should 

 cost to keep a pack of beagles, and I also know that, the more 

 carefully your hounds are bred, the more sought after your 

 breed and Q.E.D. the less your annual expenses. 



'' I hate radical changes in the dear old place, but I am all 

 for improvements, and I fail to see how any pack of hounds can 

 be properly kennelled in the centre of a town. I dare not 

 trespass further, Mr. Editor, on your space, but at some future 

 time perhaps I may be allowed to make some few suggestions 

 for the ' walks ' of the future Peterborough winners bred at Eton. 



