o40 THE HOUND. 



in the kennels of Mr. Chute and Mr. Warde ; the 

 Duke of Cleveland and Mr. Villebois coming next 

 to Mr. Warde in what may be called the maximum 

 class. Mr. Chute's motto over his kennel door 

 was, " multum in parvo," which was his great aim; 

 and although very full of power, and particularly 

 neat in appearance, his hounds did not more than 

 average twenty-one inches. On the other hand, 

 many of Mr. Wardens bitches, the most splendid 

 animals of their kind and sex the world has ever 

 yet seen, were better than twenty-three, and a few 

 of his dog hounds twenty-six inches high, which 

 was about the standard of the original Devonshire 

 stag-hounds. It may be said of hounds, however, 

 as has been said of horses, that their height has 

 little to do with their size, as far at least as their 

 powers of action are concerned ; and doubtless in 

 all animals that labour, a medium height is the 

 best. It may likewise be said, that inasmuch as a 

 good big horse is more valuable than a good little 

 one, so are we inclined to be in favour of hounds of 

 what is called a good size or height, as suited to 

 all countries, whereas small ones are not. 



The amount of hounds bred annually will depend 

 on the strength of the kennel, and the number of 

 days'* hunting in the week which the country they 

 are intended for requires. From sixty to eighty 

 couples are about the complement for a four-days- 

 a-week country, which will require the breeding of 

 a hundred couples of puppies every year, allowing 

 the usual diminution of the entry by mal-confor- 

 mation, under size, and that bane to the kennel, 



