218 COVERT-SIDE SKETCHES. 



that for all chases the fox-hound is the best. With them I can 

 scarcely agree. If you merely want to gallop, no doubt he will 

 give you the greatest opportunity ; but I think that hunting the 

 wild deer must have had a greater charm with the old deep- 

 toned hounds, and, moreover, from their fine voices, they must 

 have been far easier to ride to over such a country, where, when 

 the hounds go one way, the horsemen often have to go another 

 to meet them again. I also think that they may have had an 

 advantage on roads under the hot August sun, and in trying the 

 water where a deer had taken soil. No doubt the great draw- 

 back to them was a want of means for infusing fresh blood, so 

 that probably the hounds degenerated of late years from breeding 

 in and in;^ they also appear to have a little of the bloodhound's 

 self-will, and evinced a strong liking for Porlock mutton, and, 

 as Dr. Collyns says, the only remedy is the halter for that. 

 ►Strong inroads must at times have been made on the pack, and 

 there was no chance to replace them, after the breed was dis 

 carded from the Ascot kennels in 1815. Hence it is not 

 surprising that they were replaced by the more easily procured 

 fox-hound, even if he was scarcely so well calculated for the 

 business (I have heard a very good sportsman and a master of 

 hounds say that nothing but a fox-hound could stand the work 

 of tufting, and help run down a wild deer afterwards) ; but, with 

 all due deference, the stag-hounds must have done it before them. 

 However, when we look at the enormous expense it would be 

 to keep up a single pack, with no chance of an exchange of sires 

 nearer than France (if my supposition is right), and even then 

 doubts as to their purity, how many would be worthless from 

 the in-breeding which must necessarily take place, the number 

 of walks required, and other troubles attendant on sticking to 

 an unusual breed, no one can wonder at their having been given 

 up, however much we may lament it, and I myself could be 

 almost content to put the dial back fifty years and take its con- 



1 Madness was said to be very prevalent in the Royal kennels at last. 



