223 



CHAPTER XXir. 



THE BLOODHOUND. 



Two dogs of black St. Hubert's breed, 

 Uumatched for courage, breath, and speed. 



Xo work treating of deer-hunting would be comjDlete without 

 some mention of the bloodhound, as, although he is now not in 

 very general use, there is at least one pack of them — more or 

 less pure — in existence for deer-hunting, and I have reason to 

 believe that many are still in the hands of pack-keepers, and 

 used by them in their occujDation. However, the principal 

 mission of bloodhounds in the present day is to disport them- 

 selves on the benches at dog-shows — and very interesting classes 

 they make — while their calm and dignified deportment is a 

 pleasing contrast to the noisy petulance displayed by most of 

 the breeds exhibited. Taken merely as a companion, I 

 think it very probable that dog-shows may have done some- 

 thing to improve the breed ; but I am in doubt whether use, if 

 we wished to put them to their legitimate business, would not 

 be found to have been sacrificed for the sake of obtaining ex- 

 cessive show points. On this subject Lord Wolverton would 

 be able to speak with authority, as I believe he has purchased 

 them at shows occasionally, for the sake of crossing with his 

 pack. At any rate the pure bloodhound is a noble dog, either 

 for the chase or as a companion, and the wider the taste for 

 keeping him is spread the better. 



That the bloodhound is one of the oldest breeds extant I 



