SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 79 



break it up. The coolers also must be thoroughly 

 washed and scrubbed, and let dry before another 

 lot of meal is emptied into them, or it will assuredly 

 turn sour. When such precautions are requisite in 

 preparing the hounds' food, we need scarcely remark 

 that a good man-cook or feeder is of the next 

 greatest importance to a good huntsman. 



There is also considerable care necessary in 

 cooking the beef, which ought not to be boiled to 

 rags a common trick with idle feeders, to save the 

 trouble of chopping. In this state it is divested 

 of all nourishing properties, and becomes indigesti- 

 ble the answer to which is, the broth is all the 

 better. Then we reply, " Throw away the rags." 



Hounds and dogs generally have hitherto exer- 

 cised a monopoly in horse-flesh, but it seems that 

 our versatile neighbours over the Channel are begin- 

 ning to dispute their ancient prerogative to this 

 patent ; and if the rinderpest continues its ravages 

 in this country, it is not improbable that we may 

 also be compelled to experiment upon kennel beef. 

 That Monsieur Soyer or any other French artist in 

 the culinary department could send up an entrde 

 composed of horse-meat, so highly seasoned and 

 flavoured as to form a dish resembling hashed 

 venison, or any other hash, we do not pretend to 

 question. Fortunately, being a plain feeder, we are 

 exempted from such impositions upon our palate. 

 Prejudice goes great lengths, but, dispassionately 

 considered, we don't see any very valid reason why 

 the flesh of a racehorse, which has gone too great 

 lengths, by breaking down, or breaking his legs, 



