76 nOPvSES AND HOUNDS 



CHAPTER XII. 



How to form a pack of fox -hounds — Best kennels in tlie present day — Mr, 

 Aslieton Smith's, Duke of Beaufort's, Lord Fitzwilliam's, Earl of Yar- 

 borough's, Lord Bentinck's, &c. — Faults to be avoided in forming a selec- 

 tion, and treatment while young — Hare-hunters to be avoided — Mistakes 

 of sportsmen respecting the identity of foxes and hares— Description of 

 a lot of draft hounds, and of the respective character of each dog — Bad 

 choice made by young huntsmen. — Price of draft hounds as contrasted 

 with that of good ones. 



I HAVE, however, now been going too fast myself, and shiHing 

 decidedly. Hark back ! to my subject — purcliasing hounds. 

 When a pack is sold at the hammer, it is generally in lots, so 

 that you may get a few couples of good hounds to begin upon, 

 if you are not inclined to purchase the entire pack. Sometimes 

 a very fair pack of hounds (not first-rate, of course) may be 

 bought for about 500/., and there is a great advantage in having 

 a pack made to your hand, although not anything, perhaps, 

 very particular ; but to obtain almost any body of hounds which 

 have been working together, is far better than undertaking the 

 arduous task of forming one from drafts, and in the end less 

 expensive also. You can soon improve them by infusing other 

 blood, or adding occasionally a few couples from other kennels. 

 In the event, however, of not having an opportunity of pur- 

 chasing a pack, we must try and make one up with the best 

 materials at hand. 



It may be considered invidious by making comparison be- 

 tween the many first-rate establishments now in existence ; I 

 should, therefore, select from those kennels where the oldest 

 and best blood is to be found, and also from those where I 

 should be likely to obtain hounds suitable to my pui-pose. 

 Whatever huntsmen may say about their old draft, look always 

 with most suspicion upon hounds of three and four years old. 

 They may tell you they are too high, or too low, too fast or too 

 slow ; but the truth is, they are too faulty for them to keep. It 

 is but fair you should have them with others. You take the 

 draft as it is, and must make tlie best of it. The five and six 

 seasoned hounds are the only ones you can depend upon in this 

 lot ; and if you obtain your drafts from the grass countries you 

 will have a better chance, as they generally draft hounds, 

 although very good, which cannot keep the pace in a flying 

 country ; but they will make a very fair fight in a provincial or 

 wooded one. These will form your body-g-uard— tried and 

 veteran troops — ^upon whose steadiness you must rest your 



