372 



HUNTING. 



Hunting. 



"V" 

 Fox-hunt- 

 ing- 



that little can be expected from exertion. Hounds of 

 middle size are the strongest, and most capable of pro- 

 tracted fatigue: and here it is necessary to regulate 

 the equality of the pack. There should be complete 

 uniformity in speed ; for, though the fleetest hound is 

 commonly esteemed the best, yet he may do much in- 

 jury among his companions in the chace. Speed and 

 vigour are indispensible qualities, and these are likely 

 to be promoted by having hounds of the same family. 

 Both are conspicuous in those of English breed. A 

 hound has been known to run seven miles in four 

 minutes ; and a fox chace is said, on one occasion, to 

 have been continued for about 120 miles, calculating, 

 as nearly as possible, from the places where the hounds 

 were seen. The ardour of the hounds is so great, that 

 they sometimes actually die in the course of pursuit. 

 A prejudice formerly prevailed in France against Bri- 

 tish hounds, which probably arose from their having 

 degenerated on being transported from their native cli- 

 mate. Most animals degenerate under great transitions, 

 whereas, were they carried to moderate distances, they 

 might easily be habituated to the change of climate and 

 of circumstances. The breed of all the useful animals 

 ought to be anxiously studied, because real quality can 

 be obtained in no other way than by selection from 

 the offspring of parents who are themselves of the 

 genuine stock. On both sides those alone should be 

 chosen which demonstrate the properties of the fox 

 hound in a superior manner : age must be avoided ; 

 and, as both sexes reach maturity nearly about the 

 same period, there ought not to be a great disparity 

 between them. General rules nevertheless admit of 

 many exceptions, as the origin and properties of ani- 

 mals" are but little known. The breeder will often 

 be disappointed of his expectations, and he will some- 

 times have to admire the offspring of parents from 

 whose union nothing was expected. In both cases, 

 good qualities and defects may lurk in concealment 

 during one generation, and be unfolded in the next. 

 Some persons who have paid strict attention to this 

 subject, maintain, that, in the course of numerous expe- 

 riments, they succeeded in obtaining excellent hounds. 

 The whelps must be kept very clean, both before and 

 after leaving the mother. When they cease to obtain sub- 

 sistence from her, it is recommended that they should be 

 fed with wheat bread, to improve their strength ; but, 

 in France, it is said that bread made of barley-meal is 

 universally admitted to be better feeding, and is given 

 at the rate of two pounds and a half cr three quarters 

 daily, in two portions. The whelps should be well aired, 

 and have sufficient exercise, until they attain their full 

 strength, or arrive at an age a little beyond it, when 

 their active powers are to be called forth. It is suppo- 

 sed that dogs continue to grow during eleven months. 

 Something probably depends on climate ; for a much 

 longer time frequently elapses before some of them 

 have acquired all their vigour. Numerous specific rules 

 are given regarding the entrance or initiation of hounds 

 to the chace, on which head there are hunters who ad- 

 vance extraordinary, and apparently inconsistent, opi. 

 nions ; such as, that the first object of pursuit ought to 

 be different from that for which the dog is ultimately 

 destined. But it has been judiciously remarked, that 

 " nature will instruct hounds how to hunt ; art only is 

 necessary to prevent them from hunting what they 

 ought not to hunt." Instinct is incessantly operating ; 

 and if it is to be modified, we must always keep in 

 remembrance, that early habits have a great pre- 

 ponderance ; and that animals will probably be most 



eager in the pursuit of that game which they have 

 been taught to hunt originally. One of the primary . 

 qualities of a dog is, to addict itself exclusively to the i 

 specific object ot pursuit, and to abstain from every 

 other ; whence it would appear as inconsistent to enter 

 pointers with larks, as fox hounds with rabbits. If 

 hounds are accustomed, at an early age, to woods, 

 or hills and vallies, it is likely that they may rot 

 be equally successful when there is a complete transpo- 

 sition of circumstances, whence a considerable variety 

 of surface seems beneficial in exercising those which 

 are young. These necessary preliminaries having been 

 attended to, hounds are to be assorted in packs, the 

 extent of which is quite arbitrary. Experienced hunt- 

 ers affirm, that 25 couple are sufficient at any time to 

 be taken into the field ; and this is the ordinary num- 

 ber. Forty couple will admit of hunting three times 

 a- week ; but if packs are very numerous, each hound 

 will have too little occupation in the chace : hence it is 

 essential that the qualities of hounds should be fre- 

 quently brought into action, in order that they may be 

 preserved by practice. Although instinctive habits may 

 be permanent, yet artificial acquirements are soon forgot- 

 ten. A pack of good hounds is a valuable property, and 

 has been sold in England for a thousand guineas. With 

 respect to the actual practice of fox-hunting, it is a subject 

 susceptible of so much detail, that we must chiefly refer 

 those who are desirous of becoming masters of it, either to 

 certain districts of England and Ireland, where gentle- 

 men of fortune follow it as a kind of profession, in pre- 

 ference to the more useful pursuits of agriculture, and 

 more delicate and refined amusements, or to the mo- 

 dern authors Beckford and Daniel, who treat copiously 

 of the subject. They have not only exhausted the ob- 

 servations of their predecessors, but have embellished 

 their writings with new and entertaining illustrations. 

 As the fox leaves his burrow in quest of prey before 

 the day breaks, all the earths are to be stopped at a 

 very early hour in the morning ; and the huntsmen 

 having met at the appointed covert, it is to be carefully 

 drawn for the game. A bad or windy day is always 

 to be avoided, as the scent is so much affected and so 

 precarious, that the hounds may be disappointed, which 

 is injurious to their nature. It is not necessary that 

 the fox should ever be seen by the dogs ; when once 

 roused, they pursue him by the scent alone, continu- 

 ing the chace through many miles. But this animal 

 neither possesses much speed, nor apparently enter- 

 tains great dread of the hounds. His principal object 

 is gaining the earth ; and he trusts by wiles and stra- 

 tagems to deceive his pursuers. If he is foiled, many 

 turnings, doublings, and crossings, are resorted to : when 

 fatigued, he will either lie down in a field, should one 

 be in his way, or run amidst a flock of sheep, or a 

 herd of cattle. In the course of the chace, sometimes 

 the scent becomes quite imperceptible, especially when 

 confounded with the emanations of other animals, as 

 in the latter case, when the hounds are said to be checked 

 or at fault ; and the recovery of it becomes most inter- 

 esting to hunters. Silence is then to be observed, as 

 the dogs will be industrious enough themselves in en- 

 deavouring to regain the scent. If they are successful, 

 which does not invariably happen, they rapidly renew 

 the pursuit, and gaining distance as the strength of the 

 fox declines, they at length come up, and tear him to 

 pieces. "Then," say sportsmen, "they should be allow- 

 ed to eat him ravenously." It frequently oecurs, that 

 amidst a number of earths all are not stopped, and the fox 

 having taken shelter, is dug out or dislodged by ter. 



