12 Modern Dogs. 



day brought before the magistrates and committed 

 to the assizes, where they were sentenced to five 

 years' penal servitude each, there being previous con- 

 victions against them. Voltigeur was of the Duke of 

 Leeds' strain of bloodhounds, some of which were 

 at that time kept at Hornby Castle." 



A more recent instance showing in what manner 

 bloodhounds may be of aid to the police is the 

 following, which occurred not very many months 

 since, but for obvious reasons the names and the 

 locality are not mentioned. Early in 1896 a constable 

 was out in the early morning, when about 6.30 a.m. 

 he came across a couple of notorious poachers who 

 were walking along a footpath through some fields. 

 They, seeing the constable, called out in alarm as a 

 signal to their companions, who were no doubt 

 coming behind. Owing to the darkness, the latter 

 escaped ; but the constable took some rabbits and 

 nets from the men he had met, for being in the pos- 

 session of which under such circumstances, they were, 

 later on, duly punished. At daybreak the constable, 

 accompanied by a young bloodhound bitch, his own 

 property, returned to the place, and w^as able to 

 distinguish the footsteps of a number of men who 

 had come out of a turnip field. They had separated, 

 some going in one direction, others in another. 

 The hound was put upon the tracks, and with her 



