100 NOTITIA VENATICA. 



How regular ! how just ! aud all his cares 



Are well repaid, if mighty George approve. 



So model thou thy pack, if honour touch 



Thy generous soul, and the world's just applause. 



But, above all, take heed, nor mix thy hounds 



Of different kinds ; discordant sounds shall grate 



Thy ears offended, and a lagging line 



Of babbling curs disgrace thy broken pack." 



Tlic sort of hound put forward must depend, to a certain degree, 

 ujion the taste of the breeder ; for instance, no tAvo descriptions of 

 hounds could differ more widely than those of the late Mr. John 

 Villebois, and those of Squire Oshaldeston, both being allowed to be 

 first-rate judges in every way connected with hounds and hunting. The 

 symmetry of those of the former Avas, in the opinion of many sportsmen, 

 spoilt by a loaded neck, and quarters inelegantly short, that is, short 

 from the hip-bone to the setting on of the stern ; in other respects they 

 were perfect, with deep chests, wide backs, round ribs, and legs and 

 feet formed to endure the incessant flint beds of Hampshire. Now the 

 Squire's were, in many respects, the very opposite to these, as to some 

 of their points ; for example, he never put a hound forward that was not 

 clever in his quarters ; however, they did not give much trouble to the 

 selector, coming, as they did, nearly all fit to go forward, the result, no 

 doubt, of first-rate judgment in the breeding of them. His good taste 

 led him to prefer light necks, and perfectly-formed shoulders ; in fact, 

 without the latter no hound can go in any country. You seldom saw a 

 throaty hound amongst Osbaldeston's, but old Fiudcr was an instance 

 to the contrary, from Avhom he bred for several seasons, Avarranted by 

 the excellency of his Avork on the line, and his extraordinary stoutness in 

 chase. He afterwards Aveut to the Duke of Buceleugh's kennel, and 

 was used as a stud hound for several seasons. StiU, Avith all this va- 

 riety in taste, there are certain rules to go by, a deviation from Avhich 

 must inevitably end in failure and disa2)pointment : for instance, a puppy 

 may be not quite straight in his fore legs, and yet as strong and speedy 

 as those Avhich are as straight as darts, but then the crookedness must 

 be at the knee-joint, and not at the clboAv ; if he turns his toes out from 

 the elbows while those joints turn in, he is not Avorth a farthing, and if 

 his knees bend back, a defect AA'hich is called by some " calf-kneed," as 

 resembling the limbs of that interesting animal, he is only fit to sell to 

 the foreigners. But he still may be a little crooked at the knee, as you 

 stand before him, and on looking at him sideways, you may perceive 

 that his knees are straight that v:ay, and full of bone, Avith the ankles 

 lai'ge and not bent back ; if he came of a good family, and Avas clever in 

 other respects, I Avould never reject such a hound, imless very strong in 

 the year's entry. The next point is his ribs, both fore and aft ; if he 

 is not deep and thick through the heart, he can never have Avind to chase 

 and run up — dont try him, and if he has no back ribs, it is ten to one 

 about his lasting through a day's Avork, unless he has an extraordinary 

 good back and loins, and then he may, but he UTUsthave strength sonic- 

 Avhcrc about his middle-})iece, I don't object to a " Avhcel-back,'' or 

 " roach-back," as it is sometimes called ; hounds so formed are gene- 



