HORSES AND HOUNDS. 83 



sober, good-tempered, and fond of animals. When your young 

 liounds come into kennel he will have plenty to do, if the 

 hunting season is not over. 



We hear every year of the fearful ravages committed by the 

 distemper, and no wonder ; the wonder is that so many live 

 through it. In place of the free air of the country, with the 

 wide fields to roam over, for health and exercise, the young 

 hounds are suddenly transferred to a prison, highly fed, but 

 without the necessary accompaniment to health — fresh air and 

 exercise. Tliey soon sicken, as a matter of course. Prevention 

 is better than cure — although I do not mean to say the distemper 

 can be prevented altogether from attacking young liounds when 

 brought into the confinement of a kennel yard ; but it may be 

 ameliorated, and the hounds prepared to resist its attacks, by 

 careful and judicious treatment. I know some old and good 

 sportsmen have an idea that high feeding is alone sufficient to 

 withstand the ravages of this dreadful malady. Nature un- 

 assisted will do much, but wisely assisted will do more. Some 

 kennels are lightly visited by this scourge of the canine race, 

 others suffer with severity. In some seasons, also, it is more 

 virulent than in others ; but where a large lot of young hounds 

 come in from their walks, almost at the same time, the dis- 

 temper will soon break out among them, in some shape or 

 other. Air and exercise, with good and not over high feeding, 

 is the best preventive, or rather preparation for its attack. As 

 soon as possible after they come into kennel, within a week at 

 least, put the couples on them, and have them out, a few 

 couples at a time, if only for an hour in tlie day. 



Let the feeder have another man to help him at this time 

 with a boy, if hunting is not over, and keep the young hounds 

 out as long as they can every day. Do not be a+raid of their 

 running cur dogs, or worrying sheep, or committing an 3^ such 

 enormities. They have been used to these since the day they 

 were first sent out to walk : but it is no wonder, when, after 

 having been pent up for a month or two within the prison walls, 

 without seeing another living object but themselves and the 

 feeder, they should run after the first animal they see ; whether 

 cur dog, sheep, or donkey. 



I heard of a lot of young hounds, which, if report speaks true, 

 did actually pull down a young animal of this last harmless 

 race, and that not so very long ago either, even in these scientific 

 and enlightened days. It happened in this wise. I tell the 

 story as it was told to me. The huntsman and two whips were 

 out with the young hounds, then considered sufficiently steady 

 to dispense with couples ; at the turning into a wide green lana 



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