THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING. 99 



i confefs I think firll Impreffions of more con- 

 sequence than they are in general thought to be ; 

 I not only enter my young hounds to vermin on 

 that account, but I even ule them, as early as I 

 can, to the ftrongeft covers and thickeil brakes ; 

 and I feldom find that they are fhy of them after- 

 wards. A friend of mine has alTured me, that 

 he once entered a fpaniel to fnipes, and the dog 

 ever after was partial to them, preferring them to 

 every other bird. 



If you have martin cats within your reach, as 

 all hounds are fond of their fcent, you will do 

 well to enter your young hounds in the covers 

 they frequent. The martin cat being a fmall 

 animal, by running the thickeft brakes it can 

 £nd, teaches hounds to run cover, and is there- 

 fore of the greateft ufe. I do not much approve 

 of hunting them with the old hounds; they fhew 

 but little fport; are continually climbing trees; 

 and as the cover they run feldom fails to fcratch 

 and tear hounds conliderably, I think you might 

 be forry to fee your whole pack disfigured by it. 

 The agility of this little animal is really wonder- 

 ful ; and though it falls frequently from a tree, 

 in the midit of a whole pack of hounds, all in- 

 tent on catching it, there are but few inftances, 

 I believe, of a martin's being caught by them in 

 that lituation. 



H 2 l^ 



