HORSES AND HOUNDS. 239 



found principally of the old greyhound sort. They have often 

 long distances to go for food, and the fresh mountain breezes 

 add vigour to their frames. The famous run so lately recorded 

 by Lord Drumlanrig proves the distance these fine mountain 

 foxes will run ; it also proves my assertion, that a good pack of 

 hounds, on a fair scenting day, will kill, unassisted, the best fox 

 that ever wore a brush. I quite agree with Mr. Delme Eadclifte, 

 that it is the finest run in the annals of sporting, either of the 

 present or b^^-gone days. The runs we see and hear of con- 

 tinually as the runs of the season, your five-and-forty minutes, 

 hour-and-a-half, &c., averaging some ten to fifteen miles dis- 

 tance, are but as i)igmies compared to this mighty giant. I felt 

 all my ardour revive when reading this unprecedented perform- 

 ance of thirty miles being traversed by this gallant pack, 

 with its glorious termination ; and in my younger days I 

 would certainly have gone even so far north to have had a 

 peep at them. 



We have column after column of winning greyhounds, names, 

 pedigrees, and colours ; but the name of a high-bred fox-hound 

 — superior in every respect to a greyhound as fox-hunting is to 

 coursing — never makes its appearance in print— and why not '? 

 Are not the votaries of the noble science as two to one, in com- 

 parison of coursers ? I mean no offence, neither do I intend any 

 reflection upon my friends of the leash, or their long dogs. 

 Every man to his taste. Coursing is a very quiet, gentlemanly 

 amusement, and I admire a handsome greyhound as much as 

 any one can. But I could never fancy coursing after fox- 

 hunting. It is like small beer after the finest champagne. 



I would suggest to the proprietor of BeWs Life, at the begin- 

 ning of each season, to request the huntsman of every old- 

 established pack to send a short list of their stallion hounds, 

 not more than half-a-dozen, with their names, ages, pedigrees, 

 and height. This list would not occupy more space than the 

 column generally assigned to fixtures during the hunting 

 season, and if published at the end of October, before the 

 regular hunting commences, it would be a capital way to com- 

 mence business in that line. It must also be very acceptable to 

 all masters of fox-hounds, as well as the lovers of the sport. I 

 name October because it is at least a good month before the 

 coupling season begins, and it w^ould enable masters of hounds 

 to send to any favourite blood in distant kennels, now that the 

 facilities of travelling are so great. I have myself, in past 

 times, sent my bitches nearly 200 miles, v/ith a man, horse, and 

 light cart, to a favourite kennel. That distance may now be 

 accomplished in about eight hours, and for a tenth part of the 

 expense. 



