SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 119 



which would require a drag instead of a casting- 

 net to enclose them. There can be little doubt 

 that the efficiency of the pack very much depends 

 upon the head they carry. To elucidate this, we 

 will suppose hounds running as a flock of geese fly, 

 with one leader, the rest falling behind in triangular 

 fashion. The foremost foxhound, supposing one to 

 have the speed of the others, when at fault, from 

 his game turning shortly to the right or left, must 

 take a certain time in making his cast to recover 

 the line. But when the body of the pack is of 

 equal speed, the scent is carried on, without inter- 

 ruption, by an extended front taking it up on 

 either side at the point of deviation. However 

 handsome, a young hound too fast for the rest 

 should be drafted, although we know the reluctance 

 of masters and huntsmen to part with anything 

 very ornamental for a slight fault of this kind. 

 But if the efficient working of the pack is of the 

 first consideration and that cannot be maintained 

 without keeping them well together drafting must 

 be adopted freely of all likely to mar this object. 



There is a great difference between well-bred 

 foxhounds as to tongue, some being much more 

 musical than others, and it is a very nice point to 

 determine the happy medium. Babblers are as 

 universally condemned as mutes, and properly so, 

 since no pack can do well with them, the first 

 always holding back, and the second preventing the 

 pack getting forward. When hounds are running 

 hard, as we call it, heads up and sterns down, 

 there must, of necessity, be little cry at that par- 



