THE HARRIER. 301 



where lie lingered last, and, as I have shown, the Eev. Mr. Froude 

 bred from him a pack with which he hunted any and everything. 



Before leaving the subject of harriers, I must say a few words 

 on the smallest of the kind— the beagle — which, although more 

 generally used for the gun, is nevertheless in some places still 

 kept for hare-hunting pure and simple, generally by those 

 who like to follow the sport on foot; but occasionally they 

 are used with horses, and I remember a charming little pack, 

 kept near Dulverton by the late Mr. Hole, well known in 

 the coursing world. I should imagine these Avere not over 

 fourteen inches, but so quick were they that one autumn 

 morning I saw them rattle up two brace and a half of hares on 

 Timberscombe Hill in a very short time. This quite disproves 

 Eichardson's assertion "that beagles have now gone quite out of 

 fashion, as well on account of their slowness and inefficiency in 

 point of strength as from their being too clamorous — too noisy 

 — dwelling, likewise, so long upon the scent that their game has 

 time to play all manner of tricks with them. They are now 

 never kept in packs, being used merely to go out with the 

 greyhounds as finders, for which purpose they answer admirably 

 well." Mr. Eichardson would have changed his opinion could 

 he have seen this beautiful little pack, for anything quicker or 

 merrier I never saw. They hunted to perfection, and a man 

 must have been a very stout runner who could have kept up 

 with them. In fact, at times our horses had to gallop for it. 



There is an account of a pack of beagles kept for rabbit- 

 hunting in Idstone's book on " The Dog," which I shall take 

 the liberty of quoting, as it is amusing. He says, — 



•' At the present time the best pack probably ever seen or 

 bred is kept by Mr. James Crane, of Southover House, near 

 Dorchester. His standard is nine inches, and, owing to their 

 wonderful hind-quarters and general frame and development, 

 they can account for a rabbit in about five minutes. I believe 

 that Mr. Crane originally took to the beagles to rid himself of 

 the rabbits, which had become quite an annoyance on some of 



