THE BLOODHOUND IN THE VALE. 155 



him. In Aiken's print the hounds are depicted 

 jumping up at their huntsman, and one is getting 

 on his horse and greeting him with what must 

 have been rather embarrassing warmth. 



In the season 1902-3 the hound list for the first 

 time contained the Holmleigh Bloodhounds, a pack 

 with which Mr East tracks the clean boot over the 

 open downs round Andover. The work of such a 

 pack can scarcely fail to improve the standard of 

 the working bloodhound, and it is in this direction 

 that the future of the hound probably lies. It is 

 noteworthy that Mr East has found it necessary 

 to cross his hounds with the foxhound in order to 

 improve their legs and feet. Two Belvoir hounds 

 have been introduced into the Holmleigh kennels, 

 as well as a Cuban hound. The latter, though by 

 no means so handsome and imposing-looking a dog 

 as the English bloodhound, has good feet and legs, 

 and has proved to be a most excellent worker in 

 the field and an indefatio^able tracker. 



It is in tracking that the bloodhound's natural 

 gifts of scent are shown at their best, and this 

 offers a delightful sport to those who love to watch 

 the working of a good hound on a difficult line. 



