ROE -HUNTING. 151 



in a short time the poor creature came limping past, 

 when I shot it, to prevent the dog from putting it to 

 a more cruel death. I do not mention this as claim- 

 ing any merit, for the shots were open, near, and easy ; 

 greater skill might have secured them some time be- 

 fore : but I think a fair inference in proof of my asser- 

 tion may be drawn from this and other instances of the 

 kind. 



When roes haunt a small belt of plantation, it is often 

 impossible to say where they will break cover. The 

 surest plan is to take a pass a little way off, as the roe, 

 wherever it may break, soon falls into a beaten track when 

 leaving one wood for another. 



It is a rare thing to take a right and left at roe ; they 

 slip past so quickly, and generally in small numbers. I 

 have known many old sportsmen who have shot them all 

 their lives, and yet never killed a couple right and left. 

 Blood-hounds are now coming into vogue, instead of fox- 

 hounds, for running them out of thick coverts. From the 

 truer nose, slower movement, and more deep-toned voice 

 of the blood-hound, he is certainly far better adapted for 

 the purpose. This noble dog is supposed to be the lineal 

 descendant of the old deep-flewed English slot-hound, or 

 talbot; and there is certainly little difference, except in 

 colour. The prevailing hue of the talbot was white, that 

 of the blood-hound is black and tan. All the finer qualities 

 of the talbot have been sacrificed in his degenerate suc- 

 cessorthe fox-hound of modern days to acquire the 

 great desideratum, speed. 



