THE BLOODHOUND. 235 



pack of ten couple is as many as should go out, as tliey all give 

 lots of music. Fifteen couple should be kept, as so many 

 accidents occur. They eat more than other hounds, and won't 

 stand short commons, and have it made up in whip-cord. — 

 John Roden." 



Lord Wolverton, I have been told by those who have had 

 ample opportunity of seeing these hounds, has shown capital 

 sport with them in Dorsetshire, hunting red deer from the 

 cart ; and report says that they not only hunt well, but go 

 a good pace. The only time I ever saw them was when they 

 were hunting wild fallow bucks in the New Forest, in 1874; 

 and I must say that, after what I had heard, I was somewhat 

 disappointed with their performance ; but I think that I saw 

 them under great disadvantage, and for this reason. They had 

 been used to hunt red deer, and were then asked to take fallow ; 

 at any rate, a portion of their own country is, unless I am much 

 mistaken, better scenting ground, though the Forest is pretty 

 high in that respect, and, moreover, they had to deal with a 

 wild animal in his native place, instead of one turned out, to 

 whom one line was very much the same as another. Moreover, 

 their huntsman was labouring under similar difficulties. I 

 know that the scent of the red and fallow deer is different when 

 in a wild state, as an old stag-hunter told me that once, when 

 hunting on the Quantock Hills, they ran their stag down into 

 the gardens at St. Audrey's, where there chanced to be a stray 

 buck ; and the gardeners, not knowing the difference, tried to 

 holloa the hounds on close at him ; but, though heated with the 

 chase, and running for blood, they took no more notice of him 

 than they would have of a donkey. As Mr. Eoden says, these 

 hounds are so sensible, and always appear to care more for the 

 scent to which they are first entered, I think here is one very 

 good reason why they did not show their best form in the 

 forest. Moreover, I take it that the scent of a wild animal 

 would be dissimilar to one kept as deer are for hunting 

 purposes. I have heard a great authority on dogs say that his 



