BEES IN THE DUKE OF NASSAU's KENNEL 51 



sometimes witnessed extraordinary scenes, both at 

 home and abroad. Sheep, and even pigs are placed in 

 some kennels durins; the time that the hounds are 

 absent for a few weeks, by way of keeping them well 

 aired and sweet. But what beat every thing I ever 

 saw, by way of making the most of an enclosure, was 

 at the Duke of Nassau's kennel on the Rhine, where 

 ten or twelve hives of bees were kept in the yard 

 amongst a large collection of deer hounds, pointers, 

 and other dogs. The attendant informed me that the 

 bees seldom stung their companions, I have no doubt 

 that they kept at a respectful distance, verifying the 

 old adao-e about '' burnt bairns." 



Many of my readers will I dare say remember the 

 old Woodland kennels at Brigstock, in Northampton- 

 shire, built under the direction of the late Lord 

 Spencer, by the celebrated Dick Knight (his lordship's 

 huntsman). The last time I was in them was in 1835, 

 when they were in the same condition in which they 

 were in early days, anything but a convenient place 

 for hounds ; there was always a peculiar appearance 

 on the floors as if the wet settled on the bricks : but it 

 was considered by Charles King, (huntsman to Lord 

 Althorp,) as one of the healthiest situations for hounds 

 in the world. Jack Stevens, who also used it when 

 with Mr. Osbaldeston for eight or nine seasons, told 

 me he never knew hounds do better in the whole of 

 his experience, than at Brigstock. The kennels are 

 built upon a clay, the substratum of which is marl. 

 There is a small kennel at Downside, in Somersetshire, 

 built so close to a trout-stream, that it actually runs 

 through the yards, upon a rock, but then the rock is 



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