220 HORSES AND HOUNDS. 



most nutritious of anything that can be given to them, and the 

 liquor they are boiled in is not heating, like pot liquor. Sport- 

 ing dogs, after a hard day, should have their feet washed in 

 warm water, with a little salt added ; their food should be given 

 warm, but not hot ; and they should be placed in a warm, com- 

 fortable kennel, with plenty of clean straw. If wet, they should 

 be rubbed dry. Nothing restores a dog so quickly as warmth. 



A dog's state of health may be known by his nose. If dry, 

 and pinched in appearance, the system is fevered by overheating 

 or other causes. If moist and spongy, it is a sure sign of good 

 health. Sporting dogs, if fed and taken care of as I have sug- 

 gested, will (if not lamed, or overworked so much as to refuse 

 their food) be fit to work again on the next or following day. 

 Dogs, like horses, require training by moderate and regular 

 exercise, before they can fairly be expected to undergo severe 

 work. Sheep's trotters are also very excellent food, when the 

 bones are picked out. Dogs fed upon raw flesh are not fit to 

 work until the next day after, and scarcely then. Barley mea], 

 scalded with boiling water, and then covered over in a pan for 

 half an hour before used, with some skim milk afterwards 

 added, will do very well ; but it is more heating and does not 

 contain the strengthening properties of oatmeal. Indian meal 

 may also do as a makeshift, when boiled for half an hour. 

 Dogs should have always a pan of clean water before them, day 

 and night, winter and summer. When feverish, give them a 

 small tea-spoonful of yellow sulphur and half of cream of tartar, 

 mixed up in some butter or lard, at night. This dose once a 

 week will keep a dog in health ; it may be given twice a week 

 if he is feverish. 



CHAPTER XXXIV. 



Beckford's advice respecting stormy weather — Master of fox-lioimds con- 

 sidered as a servant of the public — Not to take oni young hounds on very 

 bad and windy days — Losing our pack on such an occasion — A cool and 

 easy fox — Earth stopping, and habits of foxes in bad weather — The fox- 

 catcher, and his manoeuvres — Scratch packs general receivers — Countries 

 should be regularly hunted, good and bad places in succession — "Woodland 

 foxes. 



"We are recommended by Beckford never to take out hounds on 

 very bad or stormy days. The advice is good, but the misfor- 

 tune is, that in these times we cannot follow it. \Yere any 



