THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING. 49 



that a good dog, like a good candidate, cannot be of a bad 

 colour. 



Men ^re too apt to be prejudiced by the sort of hound 

 which they themselves have been most accustomed to. Those 

 who have been used to the sharp-nosed fox-hound, will 

 hardly allow a large-headed hound to be a fox-hound; 

 yet they both equally are : speed and beauty are the 

 chief excellencies of the one J while stoutness, and tender- 

 ness of nose, in hunting*, are charadleristic of the other. 

 I could tell you, that I have seen very good sport with 

 very unhandsome packs, consisting of hounds of various 

 sizes, differing from one another as much in shape and 

 look as in their colour; nor could there be traced the 

 least sign of consanguinity amongst them. Considered 

 separately, the hounds were good ; as a pack of hounds, 

 they were not to be commended j nor would you be sa- 

 tisfied with any thing that looked so very incomplete. — 

 You will iind nothing so essential to your sport, as that 



* II parolt que la finesse de I'odorat, dans les chiens, depend de la 



grosseur plus que de la longueur du museau. — Buffon. 



