Foxhounds 133 



in foxhounds, the reader is ready to learn what 

 experts think of the separate strains known as 

 distinctively American. In order to make this 

 study convincing, I have asked my friend, Mr. 

 William I. Varner of Varner, Arkansas, one of 

 the most careful students of the subject and a 

 hound breeder of long experience with both foxes 

 and deer, to write the chapter on American hound 

 families. Fox-hunters will decree that Mr. Var- 

 ner's word has weight. More's the pity that the 

 great test of Southern hounds on New England 

 foxes, proposed by Mr. Smith of the Grafton 

 Hunt, Worcester, Massachusetts, for the meet 

 at Barre this fall (1903) fell through because of 

 unexpected burdens thrown upon Mr. Smith's 

 time. Mr. Varner had undertaken the commis- 

 sion of gathering a pack of eight July Walker 

 and Trigg hounds for the test. Better luck for 

 the sport next year ! 



Mr. Mather has kindly consented to give the 

 reasons for his choice of direct English blood. 



These two studies, by Mr. Varner and Mr. 

 Mather, are in their respective cults authoritative. 

 I am gratified to believe that they throw more 

 light on the subject of foxhounds in America than 

 has ever before come from the press. If they dis- 

 agree, that is all the better for the stimulation of 

 the truth-seeker. After all, there is substantial 

 agreement. Both argue that the English hound 



