114 HOKSES AND HOUNDS. 



of hounds, is much more so to the young. Having gone so far 

 in the business, on the above occasion, I knew it would not do 

 to leave off beaten. After a severe day at any period of the 

 year, but especially during cub-hunting, it was our custom not 

 to feed heavily upon the hounds' return to the kennel ; they 

 had then a certain quantity, and were fed again in three or four 

 hours' time. During the early part of the season, in our home 

 country, I had generally a meal of whey reserved for them 

 at a farm-house, on their way home from hunting, which is 

 both cooling and refieshing in hot weather. In many hunting 

 establishments the number of hounds is often too large for the 

 country, and this is one reason why they are fed so lightly, not 

 having sufficient work to keep them in proper condition with- 

 out very thin food. I had rather keep fewer in number, 

 feed higher, and work them harder, by which a great saving 

 in oatmeal would be effected, and I am quite satisfied better 

 sport ensured. Young hounds cannot well be hunted too often, 

 as long as they hold their condition, and then three days a 

 week are not too much for them. I have heard a very good 

 sportsman say that he never let his young hounds rest as long 

 as they could get oft' the benches, and sometimes had them 

 turned out when unwilling to go. This was carrying the thing 

 too far, but the other extreme is equally bad. 



To prove my assertion, I may mention an instance which 

 came under my own observation with a pack of hounds some 

 few years since. Money being then of little consideration with 

 the master, a very large body of hounds had been kept up, just 

 twice as many, or nearly so, as the country required, and their 

 sport had never been very particular. Being, however, subse- 

 quently offered a large price for a certain number of couples, he 

 was induced to part with them, and his pack was reduced from 

 nearly eighty to about forty couples, and still he continued to 

 hunt three and four days a week, never being able to take more 

 than eighteen couples into the field. With this short comple- 

 ment of hounds, well fed and often hunted, they had better 

 sport than for many preceding seasons, and killed more foxes. 

 We all know that some countries lame hounds more tlian 

 others, but, in my opinion, fifty couples of good and efficient 

 hounds, taking young and old together (brood bitches and stud 

 hounds being excepted), are a sufficient number to hunt any 

 country in England four days per week. I know a first-rate 

 gentleman huntsman who was induced last year to part with 

 some of his hounds for a high consideration, and he has been 

 working through this severe season, with barely thirty couples, 

 three days a week, and in a country where foxes are not very 



