BEAGLES AND BEAGLING 285 



the country. As a rule, hares naturally take longer 

 to bring to hand than with harriers, and runs of two 

 hours and upwards may be pretty often expected. 



The management of beagles is, on a smaller scale, 

 identically the same as that of harriers. The kennels 

 are usually on a very simple scale, and, more often 

 than not, contrived from some disused stable or out- 

 building. The same precautions against damp and 

 kennel lameness must, of course, be taken as in the 

 case of bigger and more important packs. Some 

 packs are hunted without any pretence to regular 

 costume ; but even with a " cry " of little beagles it 

 is more seemly that the Master and whip should 

 appear in short green coats and velvet caps. It is 

 very frequently the case that not only the huntsman, 

 who is in nearly all cases the Master, | but also the 

 whip or whips, are amateurs, which, of course, tends 

 considerably to the saving of expense. A steady lad 

 as kennel huntsman and feeder, is, in such cases, the 

 only paid servant needed ; his wages should not 

 amount to a very heavy item. With great economy 

 a pack of ten or twelve couples can be maintained for 

 as little as £70 a year, possibly a trifle less. In the 

 field eight couples are sufficient, though a couple or 

 two more are seen where packs are strong in number. 

 As few as six couples even are occasionally employed, 

 but with less than this number real hare-hunting is 

 a matter of some difficulty. 



The science and practice of hunting hare with 

 beagles are, of course, practically the same as with 

 harriers. The pace is, naturally, slower. Beagles, 

 with their fine noses and low scenting propensities, 

 are inclined to dally or " tie " on the scent, as it is 

 called. For this reason, without unduly rushing 

 them, it should be seen that stragglers and loiterers 



