76 CHARACTER OF THE BEAGLE. 



necessity for such attempt, since there is generally neither reason, common sense, 

 nor any intelligible motive in it. 



We are not informed why modern writers should speak of the North Country 

 Beagle particularly, as nimble and vigorous, and pursuing the Hare with impe- 

 tuosity. Such indeed is the character of the Beagle generally, but with respect 

 to our own Country, we apprehend, the distinctive character of Northern and 

 Southern, or any particular County hound or beagle, has been long since merged 

 and lost, by an infinity of inter-crossings. It is almost a century, according to the 

 late Rev. Mr. Chaftn, since Yorkshire was supplied with a pack of speedy Fox 

 Hounds from the South, such as the North had not then witnessed within memory. 

 The Beagle is short, full, and thickset in form, and has the long, pendulous, and 

 capacious ear of the old Hound. We thus read in Mr. Daniel, a quotation from 

 Beckford, probably Beagles, rough or smooth, have their admirers ; their 

 tongues are musical, and they go faster than the Southern Hounds, but fail much. 

 They run so close to the ground, as to enjoy the scent better than taller dogs, espe- 

 cially when the atmosphere lies low. In an enclosed country they do best, as they 

 are good at trailing or default, and for hedge-rows ; but they require a clever 

 Huntsman, for out of twenty couple in the field during a winter's sport, not four 

 couple could be depended upon. Of the two sorts, he prefers the wire-haired, as 

 having good shoulders, and being well filletted. 



Smooth-haired Beagles, continues this quotation, are commonly deep-hung, 

 thick lipped, with large nostrils, but often so soft and bad quartered, as to be 

 shoulder shook and crippled the first season they hunt ; crooked legs, like the 

 Bath Turnspit, are frequently seen among them ; after two hours running, many 

 of them are disabled, and the Huntsman may proceed to hunt the Hare himself, 

 for he will neyer receive any assistance from the greater part of them : their form 

 and shape sufficiently denote them not designed for hard exercise. This descrip- 

 tion, unfavourable however, still proves the smooth beagle a hare-hound, if any 

 thing, since he must be still less fitted to hunt the Fox, for which chase, the rough 

 Variety must be better adapted ; and this kind we suppose to be indicated by the 

 North Country Beagle above noted, which according to the quotation, gives the 

 Hare no time to double ; and if the scent lies high, will easily run down two brace 

 before dinner. But it is only on a good scenting day, these speedy hounds shew 

 themselves, for without the constant discipline of the whip, and perpetually hunt- 

 ing them down, it is impossible to make a good pack of them. There is another 

 sort (the glove beagle) preferred for their tenderness of nose, and because they 

 eat little, but without great care they are apt to chatter without any occasion. 

 The mixture of all or any of them with a distinguishable proportion of Southern 

 blood will be useful ; a race may then be produced, possessing a good share both of 

 nose and steadiness, and that by running with less speed, will sooner and with 

 greater certainty run up to their game. We may very safely add, that the chief 



