26 NOTITIA VENATICA. 



occasionally bring up as naany as seven. Mr. Asslieton Smith had a 

 hound, some years ago, named Governess, Avhich was as famous for 

 rearing puppies as she was excellent in the field, and during the spring 

 and summer of 1831, produced and reared two litters, amounting to 

 fourteen, which did well — ^and went to quarters, the first litter were by 

 that famous hound Watchman, the second by Mr. A. Smith's Barrister 

 — a circumstance worthy to he recorded in the annals of breeding 

 hounds. The usual practice of turning out the bitches which are iu 

 whelp for about three Aveelcs to run at large, is certainly an excellent 

 system ; but, nevertheless, there are circumstances connected with it 

 that are a great di'awback, unless properly guarded against ; one in 

 particular, of their gorging themselves with flesh where they can get at 

 it, which produces surfeit, after having lived on the mixed kennel food ; 

 therefore the flesh-gibbet should be enclosed in a small boarded yard 

 made on purpose. It is an excellent system which is pursued in some 

 establishments, to keep one or two cows for the exclusive use of the 

 puppies ; moreover the huntsman is generally allowed the keep of one 

 for his own family. At Brocklesby (the Earl of Yarborough's), where 

 everything connected with the kennel department is conducted on a scale 

 of the greatest liberality, the huntsman is permitted to keep two cows, 

 and the whippers-in and boiler have the run of one each in the park. I 

 shall not enter into the detail of managing and rearing the young puppies, 

 it is so well known to every kennel man, who may have had even a mo- 

 derate share of experience ; and I shall only add upon this subject that 

 the cleaner they are kept, and the better they are fed, the more likely 

 they are to arrive at maturity. If the distemper breaks out, those which 

 are aflected should be immediately removed to a distance from the rest 

 which may be healthy, or the most fatal consequences will ensue. Some- 

 times young puppies, Avithout any apparent cause, become knotty in 

 their skins, and whilst their bellies are much distended, the flesh upon 

 their bones visibly wastes away ; it almost invariably proceeds from the 

 place where they lie being more or less damp, and nothing will be found 

 more likely to eradicate the evil, than the removing them to a warmer 

 and a drier place ; they shoidd have tincture of rhubai-b administered to 

 them in small doses, and be dressed with a little of the common kennel 

 dressing, adding but a small quantity of the turpentine, and totally 

 omittino- the spirit of tar. Each litter should be separately marked, in- 

 dejiendent of branding them ; or when they return from their quarters, 

 by having rambled about the country, and having changed their walks 

 with others of the same age and colour, it will be totally impossible to 

 remember how they were bred or to which litters they belonged. These 

 " private marks," or " litter marks," as they are called in the kennel, 

 are generally made on the lips, the deaf cars, or by cutting ofi" the ear 

 buttons ; another way of marking them is by dipping a thread into wet 

 gunpowder, or Indian ink, and drawing it with a needle under the in- 

 side skin of the ear, in the shape of a T, a V, an X, or any other de- 

 vice which may take the marker's fancy — it is a neat Avay of doing the 

 business, and attended with less ])ain than clipping the lips or ears. 

 " It is the judicious cross," says Mr. Beckford, "that makes the pack 



