386 THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



by many ; and it is said that twenty couples of spayed 

 bitches would do the work of twenty-five or thirty 

 couples of open ones. Be it so ; still I do not recommend 

 the practice ; first, on account of the severity and danger 

 of the operation ; secondly, in that it deprives the 

 animal of perpetuating the excellent properties she might 

 possess. It is altogether a barbarous practice ; neither 

 should an operation of a similar nature be performed on a 

 dog hound, unless incurably quarrelsome in the kennel. 



"Hounds, like horses, must be quite fit to go, or good 

 foxes will beat them. If you are to hunt your hounds 

 yourself, it must be yourself that must look to this point, 

 which must be accomplished long before the season 

 commences. In fact, it is by your summer work that 

 your hounds will be fitted for the winter's campaign. 

 But here you must depend upon your kennel huntsman, 

 inasmuch as you cannot be expected to be in the saddle at 

 four o'clock in the morning, at which hour your pack 

 ought to be out, during the hot months, and occasionally 

 kept out for seven or eight hours at a time, especially 

 towards the approach of cub-hunting. I do not suppose 

 you will always feed your hounds yourself, neither do I 

 think it absolutely necessary ; but everything depends 

 upon how it is done. Experience will convince you that, 

 whilst but few hounds in your kennel can be allowed to 

 eat their fill, there are many who must be fed to a 

 mouthful, and others enticed to feed, to render them 

 quite fit. It is on this account that, unless a gentlemaii- 

 huntsman always feeds in the hunting season, he had 

 better entrust it to other hands, guided by the result of 

 his observation of certain hounds in their work. If your 

 fixture is beyond ten or twelve miles from your kennel, 

 let your hounds (and horses) sleep out. They will be 

 fresher and stouter in their work the following day, and 

 decidedly better in a very sharp burst with their first fox, 

 as well as having more left in them for a good afternoon 

 fox, and he generally proves a good one that is to say, 

 comparatively with the powers of his pursuers. 



" Get your young hounds into kennel in good time ; 

 kennel food will improve their shape, and they will be 

 free from chances of accidents, as also of acquiring loose 

 habits. Remember that you will want a large kennel of 

 working hounds, and do not be in too great a hurry 

 to draft. At all events, you must put forward thirty 



