NOT BE ENTERED. 91 



in case of accidents ; since from the time you 

 make your draft to the time of hunting is a long 

 period, and their existence at that age and sea- 

 son very precarious : besides, when they are safe 

 from the disorder, they are nob»always safe from 

 each other ; and a summer, I think, seldom 

 passes without some losses of that kind. At the 

 same time I must tell you that I should decline 

 the entering of more than are necessary to keep 

 up the pack, since a greater number would only 

 create useless trouble and vexation. 



You wish to know what number of old 

 hounds you should hunt with the young ones. 

 That must depend on the strength of your pack, 

 and the number which you choose to spare ; if 

 good and steady, ten or twelve couple will be 

 sufficient. 



The young hounds, and such old ones as are 



intended to hunt along with them,* should be 



every season to take in twenty couple of young hounds, 

 many must be bred ; and, of course, the greater your 

 choice, the handsomer your pack will become. It will al- 

 ways be easy to keep up the number of old hounds ; for, 

 when your own draft is not sufficient, drafts from other 

 packs may easily be obtained, and at a small expense. 

 When young hounds are hunted together the first season, 

 and have not a sufficient number of old hounds along with 

 them, it does them more harm than good. 



* Some also take out their unsteady hounds when they 

 enter the young ones : 1 doubt the propriety of it. 



