The Beagle, 149 



shaw master, is also an important pack. According 

 to the hunt tables in the Rural Almanac, there are 

 about forty packs of beagles hunting in various 

 parts of the country, some of which no doubt have 

 more than a dash of harrier blood in their veins. 



In appearance the beagle is a diminutive harrier, 

 with equally long and pendulous ears, not so level in 

 back as a foxhound, but in other particulars much 

 like him. However, the best beagle colour is 

 certainly the "blue mottled," already mentioned, but 

 in addition the ordinary hound markings are good, 

 and black and tans, not of the Kerry size, are 

 repeatedly met with, and are evidently admissible. 

 The smooth coated hounds are usually understood 

 to be most desirable, but the rough, or wire haired 

 variety is admired by many persons, and in all 

 respects is equally as good as the other. In 

 hunting, the beagle is a merry, keen, hard worker, he 

 can make casts for himself, and possesses a peculiarly 

 bright, clear, and silvery voice. The smaller, or 

 rabbit beagles, are especially sweet in their cry, and 

 no doubt on this account obtained the name of 

 " singing beagles," by which title they w^ere 

 known hundreds of years ago. In height there is 

 much variety, those used for rabbits varying from 

 nine inches, the standard of the late Mr. Crane's, at 

 Southover, up to, say, twelve inches. 



