30G COVEBT-SIDE SKETCHES. 



hounds which are not put forward for their own use being in- 

 vaidably made away with. In chase they are very fast, and I 

 should say there is little if any difference in their pace and that 

 of the highest-bred fox-hounds when running on a high scent. 

 In fact, I heard a man, who had for years hunted hare with 

 pure-bred fox-hounds, once, after attempting to ride up to them 

 in a quick thing on a mare which had won several races, say, " I 

 did not think the great fat beggars could have gone the pace." 

 It is a peculiarity also of theirs that they stand bringing out 

 big in condition, and I have seen them go weU with such 

 an amount of flesh on them as would have stopped most 

 hounds. Perhaps it is to this cause that I fancied they were 

 rather light of bone for their size. I have never seen any 

 of them measured, but, judging by the eye alone, I should 

 certainly say they had not the same amount of bone as fox- 

 hounds of the same height. 



In their style of hunting there is as much dijBference to other 

 hounds as in their outward appearance. They have not the 

 dash and fling of the fox-hound, the bustling activity of the 

 beagle harrier, or the slow-hunting ways of the Southern hound. 

 As I have said, they go a great pace, and appear to have the 

 faculty of turning with the scent without over-running it, which 

 makes them very deadly to their game ; and, moreover, they care 

 as little as any hounds I ever saw about the line being crossed, 

 as, alas ! it too often is here by horses. I consider them 

 peculiarly adapted to the country which they hunt (as, in- 

 deed, they should be, having been carefully bred for the purpose 

 more than a hundred years), which is quite an Alpine one, 

 situated between Brighton, Newhaven, and Lewes, being, 

 roughly speaking, bounded by the Lewes and Brighton road 

 (although they do not go quite to the latter, as the Brighton 

 harriers claim a little bit on that side) and the river Ouse. In 

 fact, it comprises the narrow chain of high, steep hills which 

 runs along by the side of the brooks, hence their name the 

 Brookside, and which is only large enough to afibrd them two 



