THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 369 



culprits. Still I do not mean to condemn the purchasing 

 of drafted hounds, as I know several packs that have been 

 greatly benefited by a large draft from a well-established 

 kennel some of which might have been put away for 

 very trifling faults ; others for the purpose of reducing 

 the establishment ; and, now and then, for the sake of 

 a good price offered by some wealthier person than the 

 breeder. Let me advise you, if you can accomplish it, to 

 secure the entire lot of young hounds, not put forward in 

 some well-established kennel. They are often rejected 

 for a slight reason, and often for no other than that the 

 entry is large enough without them. 



" As respects shape and make, I need not say much on 

 those points to you who have been in the habit of seeing 

 so many good packs, nevertheless you shall have my 

 opinion, as promised. I have always been partial to 

 rather large hounds, provided they are free from lumber 

 and well put together, although I agree with the dogma 

 of the great sportsmen of the day, that ' the height of 

 a hound has nothing to do with his size,' I should 

 rather say his power. I have found large hounds suit all 

 countries, which small ones do not, and they are generally 

 more docile than small ones. But I must have strength 

 and muscle combined, in proportion to size, with oblique 

 shoulders, but no flat sides : good loins, well let-down 

 thighs, widely-spread gaskins, well-put-on heads, straight 

 legs, and, of course, good feet. I have no objection to a 

 little rise in the loins, approaching to what is called the 

 wheel-back, for hilly countries, and ploughed ones, that 

 carry ; nor do I think much the worse of a hound if he 

 shows a LITTLE inclination to be what is called throaty. 

 I'll warrant he has a nose, but if he cannot go the pace 

 the nose is of no avail. I will, however, transcribe a few 

 lines, which I wrote some time back for my amusement, 

 on the subject of breeding hounds, and other matters 

 important to all owners of them : 



" The breeding a pack of foxhounds to a pitch bordering 

 on perfection, is a task of no ordinary difficulty ; the 

 best proof of which is to be found in the comparatively 

 few sportsmen who have eminently succeeded in it, and 

 whose blood is in high esteem to this day. Not only 

 is every good quality to be regarded and, if possible, 

 obtained, but every fault or imperfection is to be 

 avoided ; and although the good qualities of foxhounds 

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