The Bloodhound. 43 



down and incline it in the direction he is going to 

 take next. This will give the person hunting the 

 hounds some idea of the correctness of their work, 

 though the best hounds do not always run the nearest 

 to the line. On a good scenting day I have seen 

 hounds running hard fifty yards or more to leeward 

 of the line taken. These sticks should be taken up 

 when done with, or they may be found misleading on 

 some other occasion. The hounds will soon learn to 

 cast themselves or try back if they over-run the line, 

 and should never receive any assistance so long as 

 they continue working on their own account. It is 

 most important that they should become self-reliant. 

 The line should be varied as much as possible. It 

 is not well to run hounds over exactly the same course 

 they have been hunted on some previous occasion. 

 If some hounds are much slower than the rest it is 

 best to hunt them by themselves, or they may get to 

 '' score to cry," as the old writers say, instead of 

 patiently working out the line for themselves. 



It is a great advantage to get hounds accustomed 

 to strange sights and noises. If a hound is intended 

 to be brought to a pitch of excellence that shall 

 enable him to be used in thoroughfares, he should 

 be brought up in a town and see as much bustle as 

 possible. If he is only intended to be used in 

 open country, with occasional bits of road work, this 



