CHAPTER XXI 

 THE HARRIER AND THE BEAGLE 



THE Harrier is a distinct breed of hound used for hunting the 

 hare or rather it should be said the Association of Masters of 

 Harriers are doing their utmost to perpetuate this breed ; the 

 Harrier Stud Book bearing witness thereto : and it is to be 

 deplored that so many Masters of Harriers ignore this fact, and 

 are content to go solely to Foxhound kennels to start their packs 

 of Harriers, choosing, maybe, 20 inch to 22 inch Foxhounds, 

 and thenceforth calling them Harriers. It is, indeed, a 

 common belief that the modern Harrier is but a smaller edition 

 of the Foxhound, employed for hunting the hare instead of the 

 fox, and it is almost useless to reiterate that it is a distinct 

 breed of hound that can boast of possibly greater antiquity 

 than any other, or to insist upon the fact that Xenophon 

 himself kept a pack of Harriers over two thousands years ago. 

 Nevertheless, in general appearance the Harrier and the 

 Foxhound are very much alike, the one obvious distinction 

 being that of size. 



Opinions differ as to what standard of height it is advisable 

 to aim at. If you want to hunt your Harriers on foot, 16 

 inches is quite big enough almost too big to run with ; 

 but if you are riding to them, 20 inches is a useful height, or 

 even 19 inches. Either is a good workable size, and such 

 hounds should be able to slip along fast enough for most people. 

 Choose your hounds with plenty of bone, but not too clumsy 

 or heavy ; a round, firm neck, not too short, with a swan-like 

 curve ; a lean head with a long muzzle and fairly short ears ; 

 a broad chest with plenty of lung room, fore-legs like gun 



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