358 THE HOUND. 



cheap at a thousand or twelve hundred pounds^ is 

 a matter of consideration with reference to con- 

 comitant circumstances ; but that they will have 

 cost the seller a great deal more there can be 

 no doubt. We should put the average price at 

 something less than either of the above sums, al- 

 though, within the last dozen years, several packs 

 have been sold for the former sum ; and the justly 

 renowned one of Mr. Warde, the present Father 

 of the Field, fetched two thousand guineas ; and 

 the late Lord Middleton gave Mr. Osbaldeston the 

 same sum for ten couples of hounds out of his ken- 

 nel. Since that period, the maximum price has 

 been obtained by Mr. Ralph Lambton, for whoae 

 pack Lord Suffield gave four thousand guineas. 



The Harrier. — The modern harrier bears no 

 greater resemblance to the one in use fifty years 

 back, than the hunter of the present day to that 

 ridden by our grandfathers. In fact, he is now 

 nothing: less than the fox-hound in miniature, 

 which it is the endeavour of all breeders to have 

 him. Their qualities also are as opposite as their 

 form, the one delighting to dwell upon the scent, 

 the other a little inclined, perhaps, to the other 

 extreme. But the taste of the day for all sports 

 of the field would not endure the tedious exactness 

 of tlie old psalm-singing harrier ; and not only in 

 point of diversion, but on the score of the pot^ the 

 balance is greatly in favour of the improved variety. 

 Before the old-fashioned harrier, the hare had time 

 to play all sorts of tricks, to double on her foil, and 



