280 HORSES AND HOUNDS. 



They should all act and move in a body like a troop of cavalry — 

 no old bellman must be kept pottering on the scent, or heel- 

 tunners. This trick harriers are very much disposed to ; it is a 

 bad fault, and where Jack's whip is necessary. When harriers 

 run back the same line they have gone over before, it is not, 

 however, always a 'proof tliat they are running heel. Hares 

 practise this manoeuvre more than any other, and therefore 

 your hounds may be right ; at any rate have a little patience, 

 and you will soon see whether they are right or wrong. If they 

 run back only a certain distance, and then break off right or 

 left, they have only followed their game, and are entitled to 

 praise instead of rebuke. 



A good cry is half the fun with your currant-jelly dogs. 

 Formerly, we are told, some hare-hunters were as particular as 

 to the melody of their hounds as to their hunting qualities ; 

 but noisy, chattering hounds — or, as they are more frequently 

 called, babblers — should be drafted, for, like long-winded ora- 

 tors, their opinions so loudly expressed are vox et preterea nihil. 

 I have seen harriers of all sizes, from the small beagle of four- 

 teen or sixteen inches to the fox-hound ot twenty-two inches. 

 I should select the medium, from twenty to twenty-one in 

 height. It is much more easy to obtain hounds of this standard, 

 and you may always breed sufficient to keep them up after- 

 wards. With a pack of twenty couples, you need not put 

 forward more than six or seven couples of young hounds, 

 which will allow for five, at least, standing good through the 

 season. 



There is great art and science necessary to breed hounds 

 effectually. Those who breed largely will have the best selec- 

 tion as to appearances : but those who have only a limited 

 number of bitches must be particular in mating them. The 

 late Mr, Ward was the cleverest man in this respect that I ever 

 met with. He never would breed from any bitches which were 

 not quite perfect in all their performances, and not until two or 

 three seasons had passed over their heads. His brood bitches, 

 therefore, were few in number ; but they generally produced 

 such as he could depend upon. His unentered draft of young 

 hounds was a very scanty one, as I know from experience, but 

 they were sure to turn out well. His old huntsman assured me 

 he often considered a day and night before he decided upon the 

 sire best suited to answer his purpose ; but his judgment seldom 

 failed. 



Bad hounds eat the same quantity of food as good ones, and 

 as my ambition always has been to have the best animals of 

 their kind, so would I have a good and clever pack of harriers, 



