448 HUNTING. 



lies down, stops, or hangs in coA^er ; the " who- 

 whoop"' signifies the death of each. 



Our ideas of a complete pack of fox-hounds are 

 very soon expressed. For four days' hunting in 

 the week there should be not less than sixty couples 

 of working hounds ; nor do we think more are ne- 

 cessary, as hounds, like horses, are always better 

 and sounder when in regular work. For three days 

 in the week, forty couples are enough. They 

 should have at their head not only a huntsman, 

 but also a master, each of whom knows his business, 

 and one clever whipper-in, and another as clever as 

 you can get him. It is not necessary, because it is 

 not feasible, that they should all be good drawers 

 of covers ; but it is absolutely necessary to perfec- 

 tion that they should all get to w^ork as soon as a 

 fox is found, and prove themsejves true on the line 

 their game has gone. As to their being quite free 

 from riot on all days, and on all occasions, the man 

 is not yet born icho can say with truths " my hounds 

 never run riot.'' Nature is seldom extinguished ; 

 and as ^sop's damsel, turned to a woman from a 

 cat, behaved herself very v/ell till the mouse ap- 

 peared, so wdll hounds occasionally break away 

 upon riot, particularly when out of sight of the ser- 

 vants, in large covers, or when disappointed by a 

 long blank draw. We conceive a pack of fox- 

 hounds entitled to be called " steady from riot," if 

 they will bear being put to the following test : — If, 

 when at fault for their fox, in the middle of a large 

 field, a hare gets up in view, and not a hound stirs, 

 nor attempts to break away after her; and this 



