Chapter XVI 

 THE RACE OF BELVOIR 



WE have, in the course of this history, traced the gradual 

 building up of the Belvoir pack to its present state 

 of excellence. 



Above all other kennels, the Belvoir is distinguished by the 

 strong family resemblance of its inmates. " What is the use," 

 once said a distinguished visitor, " of bringing me to see these 

 hounds ? I cannot tell one from the other." This great 

 similarity of colour and character is of much interest to 

 breeders, for the outward likeness of the hounds does not by 

 any means signify a dead level of intelligence. There is as 

 much individual character in these hounds as in any other 

 pack. They are, indeed, alike in their stoutness, in their 

 beauty, and in their speed. Every one knows they are 

 famous for getting away quickly with their foxes, for a " Bel- 

 voir burst" is a proverbial expression. But the different 

 hounds have different characteristics. Thus the descendants 

 of Newsman will still feel their way down a road or over a 

 stretch of dry arable land, the descendants of Trojan will still 

 dash out and kill a fox single-handed, and those who trace 

 their descent back to Caroline are as full of hunt and drive 

 as their great ancestress. The Weathergage family are hard 

 workers from morning to night, and Gillard used to tell how, 

 in one or other member of that family, the greatest of fox- 

 hound clans, the listening huntsman would hear ringing 

 out on the misty September air from some puppy of the 

 breed the bell-like note of their forefather, Wonder. The 

 Belvoir need a large pack and require a high standard of 



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