SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 91 



habits. There is one fault only for which a young 

 hound ought to be drafted, and may be put fairly 

 aside immediately too much tongue. We have 

 never known an instance of amendment in this 

 case. Babbling increases with years. It cannot 

 be determined whether a young hound, not free 

 with his tongue, can be classed among mutes, before 

 a fair trial has been given him. He may pro- 

 bably be of a modest, taciturn disposition, or, 

 having tasted Jack's whipcord for venturing to 

 proclaim he was running a fox, when Jack would 

 insist he was running a hare, he might feel shy of 

 speaking on the subject again for some time. 



Skirting is not of very early development ; but 

 if a young hound does persist in taking a line of 

 his own, after repeated attempts to keep him with 

 the pack, he must be underlined in the list. 



