HORSES AND HOUNDS. 85 



tlie unwashed nrcliins saluted Jack's ears, such as "E-aw, e-aw, 

 who hunted the donkey ?" " Come," says Jack, " drop that 

 suit, my fine fellows, or I'll drop my aouble thong upon some of 

 ye, and make ye sing a diiferent tune." 



Misfortunes will happen in the best regulated families -some- 

 times. Idleness is the parent of vice, and when the young 

 hounds are over the distemper, they cannot have too much air 

 and exercise ; but if, as I have said above, they are walked out 

 by the feeder every day, with an assistant and boy, they wont 

 care much about cur dogs or donkeys, and save Jack's whipcord 

 as well. When the hunting is over, the huntsman will have 

 nothing to do but attend to the kennel. The old hounds will 

 be glad of a little rest from their labours of the past season, and 

 Ms attention may be directed almost exclusively to the young 

 hounds. Let him keep them out half the day, if possible, early 

 and late, with the horses in the morning, and walk them out 

 several times during the day. 



The summer is a more busy time with a good huntsman than 

 the Avinter, and he will require three hacks or ponies, for himself 

 and assistants, to give the hounds proper exercise. 



CHAPTER XIV. 



ITecessity of judicious breeding — Choice of bitches — Fine symmetry of the 

 fox-hound— Popular mistakes of the present day — Mr. Ward's skill in 

 breeding — Time of breeding — Curious variations in the generations of 

 hounds — Necessity for choosing good sires — Difference between "fast" and 

 " quick " hounds — Management and feeding of the brood bitches — Selec- 

 tion and treatment of the whelps — Diet and medicine for puppies — Pre- 

 miums for best brought up hoimds at walks — Names should be given 

 early to each young hound — Proper habits in a feeder exemplified — 

 Symptoms of, and remedies for, the distempers and for inflammation of 

 the lungs. 



As the efficiency of the pack will depend upon judicious breed- 

 ing, I should recommend your not making use of any hounds 

 for this purpose until they have been fairly tried, for two 

 seasons at least, in the field ; by this time their real characters 

 will be developed, and there is not much risk of their altering 

 afterwards. 



The bitches you breed from should possess certain points of 

 symmetry, or they will not produce fine progeny. Without 

 length in their flanks and width over their loins, they will not 



