MR. MEYNELl's OPINIOXS AND PRACTICE. 397 



sist in shouting, hollooing, and unnecessary acti- 

 vity. When hounds can hear the cry, they get 

 together sooner than any whipper-in can drive them. 

 If any hound is conceited, and disinclined to go to 

 cry, he should immediately be drafted." 



On the subject of blood — that is, killing and eat- 

 ing foxes — we entirely assent to the following re- 

 marks : — " Blood was a thing Mr. Meynell was 

 more indifferent about than most masters of hounds. 

 The wildest packs of hounds were known to kill 

 the most foxes in cover, but very seldom showed 

 goods runs over a country. Hounds chopping foxes 

 in cover is more a vice than a proof of their being 

 good cover hounds. Murdering foxes is a most 

 absurd prodigality. Seasoned foxes are as neces- 

 sary to sport as experienced hounds.'' Our own 

 opinion of the value of blood to hounds perfectly 

 accords with that which, it appears, was enter- 

 tained by Mr. Meynell ; namely, that it is far 

 from a sine qua non to the well-doing of fox-hounds, 

 or any other hounds in chase, as is apparent at 

 once from the modern system of hunting the stag. 

 If it be possible, the pack are not permitted to 

 break his skin, much more to devour him ; still, 

 despite of the rating and flogging they get to pre- 

 vent their injuring the object they are pursuing, 

 they do pursue it to the last with all their might 

 and main. But let it not be supposed that we set 

 no value on what may be termed well-carried blood. 

 On the contrary, we think the flesh and blood of a 

 fox well found, and handsomely killed, by hounds 

 in the moments of high excitement, must be very 



