24 IMPROVING THE BREEDS OF HOUNDS. 



the day, is in the constant habit of introducing stud 

 hounds of less celebrity than those selected by the 

 owners of the bitches sent, and to prevent detection 

 he invariably undertakes the superintendance of that 

 part of the kennel economy, during the hour that the 

 men are absent at breakfast ; so jealous is he of others 

 obtaining his best strains of blood. Where the 

 establishment is small, and strict economy is continu- 

 ally jogging the memory, it would be an advisable 

 plan to obtain a stallion hound of a good sort, from 

 some quarter that can be depended on. A good judge 

 in these matters might have many chances during the 

 summer, of procuring one, or even a couple, which 

 should be kept for the purpose until the following 

 spring ; few owners of packs are in the habit of parting 

 with a stallion hound, which is worth accepting, early 

 in the year ; but in the months of May or June, a 

 young dog of good blood, which may by accident have 

 become stifled, or otherwise injured in his limbs, may 

 generally be obtained for the purpose of propagation 

 during the ensuing breeding season. 



Nothing would be more likely to improve the breed 

 of fox-hounds, than prizes, to be awarded by compe- 

 tent judges, to those who might excel in so delightful 

 a speculation as showing a couple or three young 

 hounds in a sweepstakes. The awarding prizes to the 

 best breeders and feeders of cattle has been attended 

 with the most beneficial results ; and I see no reason 

 why improvement in the breed of the fox-hound should 

 not be promoted by the same means. Some years ago, 

 three celebrated masters of hounds,* made a practice 



* Mr. Hodgson, Mr. Wickstead, and Mr. Foljambe. 



