The Beagle. 95 



of symmetry and power, and are as accomplished and as steady 

 as Lord Portsmouth's hounds. The Southover beagles are as 

 small as it is possible to breed them (in sufficient numbers to 

 form a pack) without losing symmetry, nose, intelligence, and 



strength. 



The above was written nearly forty years ago, but 

 Mr. Crane keeps his beagles now in 1892, just as 

 he did when "Idstone" wrote so charmingly of them. 

 Mr. Crane informs me that latterly he has had great 

 losses in his puppies, especially about two years ago. 

 Then distemper, which had not been near the kennel 

 for a long time, broke out, and four couples of old 

 hounds and three couples of young ones succumbed 

 to the epidemic. The survivors were running this 

 season, and gave excellent sport amongst the rabbits, 

 which they hunt zealously, but they have scarcely 

 the pace to run down a hare. They were often 

 successful on the benches at Birmingham, one of 

 the few shows where classes for them have always 

 been provided. Now beagles are acknowledged at 

 Peterborough, where, during the past year or two, 

 some pretty examples have taken away the prizes. 



Mr. G. H. Nutt, at Pulborough, Sussex, has an 

 excellent pack of these little hounds, with which he 

 wins many prizes. In work, he uses them in the place 

 of spaniels, for beating the thick coverts, and driving 

 " bunny " to the gun. Rather a risky enterprise for 

 the hounds, with careless shooters about, but pretty 



