HORSES AND HOUNDS. 221 



master of fox-liouiids at liberty to consult his own individual 

 opinion, or the welfare of his hounds, he would not, from choice, 

 make his appearance at the covert side upon certain days which 

 preclude almost the possibility of sport, independently of their 

 unfavourable influence upon his hounds. In these times of 

 rapid transit from place to place, many take advantage of the 

 railroad to convey themselves and horses long distances to a 

 fiivourite fixture, with a good pack of hounds. Others select the 

 fixed day as a day of recreation from business. Others, again, 

 invite their friends to their houses, in the expectation of their 

 having a day's sport with the fox-hounds. For these and other 

 reasons the master is considering the convenience and amuse- 

 ment of the public, without reference or regard to his own judg- 

 ment or private feelings on the subject. In short, whether 

 keeping hounds solely at his own expense, or as managing a 

 subscription pack, the master is considered in the light of a 

 servant of the public. Such is the transition which has taken 

 I)lace since the days of Beckford. 



A stormy day, with a high wind, is particularly unfavourable 

 to sport, and injurious even to a good pack of hounds. Wild 

 weather makes wild hounds. Upon such a day, young hounds, 

 even if steady up to that time, will run riot, and old hounds 

 commit excesses. In large woodlands, the whipper-in, unless 

 keeping under the wind and close to the hounds, cannot tell 

 what they are about, and wilful hounds seize the opportunity of 

 following the bent of their own inclination, and often throw the 

 whole pack into confusion. Both huntsman and whipper-in 

 must be particularly alert on such an occasion, or the hounds 

 may slip down wind, and be away, without their being aware of 

 their having left the covert. Avoid, if possible, drawing large 

 coverts at all on a very stormy day ; but if unavoidable, take out 

 a short pack of hounds — sixteen or eighteen couples only. Select 

 your oldest and steadiest, and if you wish to keep your pack 

 steady, leave any doubtful characters at home, and all your 

 young hounds. On such a day recollect that young hounds can 

 be of no service, and you run an almost certain risk of unsettling 

 theon from any previous steadiness they may have acquired. 



The scent is often so queer (it is the best term I can employ to 

 express my meaning) in boisterous weather, that I have known 

 the steadiest hounds unable to distinguish the scent of a fox 

 from that of a hare. I remember a very steady and favourite 

 hound running a hare scent on one of these riotous days ; nor 

 did he appear to know he was doing wrong. To similar facts 

 the experience of old masters of hounds and huntsmen will, I 

 have no doubt, add corroborative testimony. 



