70 The Hunting Countries of England. 



attain to a much, higher standard of looks — while for 

 work they may be no whit behind their more fancied 

 brothers and sisters. A foxhound must be at least a 

 fairly- shaped one for the county of Kent. He is of 

 little use if his back and loins are not muscular 

 enough to push him up hill with ease. If there is 

 any lumber about his shoulders he can never come 

 down the steep slopes at top speed ; while if his feet 

 are not compact and strong the flints will soon send 

 him back to iKennel a cripple. Even a good-footed 

 hound often finds it diflScult to move at best pace over 

 the roughest of the hills; and a whole pack will 

 sometimes be held back from driving to the front with 

 a good head — however strong the scent may be. 



The requirements hold good for horse as for hound. 

 Your horse for the West Kent need not be a very 

 expensive mount ; but he must be able to go up hill 

 and down^ and^ further, if he has to take his turn 

 wherever hounds may be advertised, he must be 

 capable enough to jump some fair strong fences in 

 the vales of Tunbridge and Ightham. A good deal 

 of meadow and pasture is there met with ; and the 

 intervening fences, where wanting in natural strength, 

 are built up with stout wattle, and well- ditched 

 besides. On the hills you may often go all day 

 without jumping at all ; as a land-mark between 

 neighbour and neighbour is held to be sufficient 

 guard over the corn fields for all practical purposes. 

 During recent depression much hill land has been 

 thrown altogether out of cultivation, or at best 

 allowed to drift into rough sheep-walk ; and is now 

 rapidly assimilating itself to down. An improved 



