244 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN 



generally several years longer tlian open bitches. 

 It is no uncommon thing to see a spayed bitch 

 leading the pack after hunting seven or eight 

 seasons. The cheapest pack of fox-hounds to keep 

 is a pack of spayed bitches ; they do more work 

 with less food than any others, and always look 

 in good condition ; but unluckily this cannot be 

 adopted generally, on account of futurity. One 

 great objection to bitches hunting alone is that there 

 is not so much music ; and it will be noticed that if 

 a few dog hounds hunt with a pack of bitches, even 

 they will not throw their tongues so freely after a 

 short time : evil communications, they say, corrupt 

 good manners ; unless it is thought that the bitches 

 do not give them so much time to talk about it. 

 This may be the case, but unless they can say they 

 have killed their fox when they go home, they had 

 better have had a little more chat together. 



There is a prejudice against cutting dog hounds 

 which are slight and weedy, but it improves their 

 appearance as much as it does the bitches ; and it 

 also improves their nose, and their power for work, 

 and in every other respect, as in the other case. It 

 is a good plan if a dog hound is quarrelsome in the 

 kennel, if it is not desirable to preserve the sort, — 

 which should be weU considered first, or the 



