HUNTING DIRECTORY. 43 



Various Hounds. 



pearance and in their style of hunting : they are, for the 

 most part, large, leggy clogs, and are neither so quick in 

 drawing, nor so fleet in the chase. The Cheshire hounds 

 (Sir Harry Mainwaring's) are much like the Quorndon 

 and the Duke of Rutland's ; and, as far as I am able 

 to form an opinion from considerable observation, are 

 equal to any fox-hounds in the kingdom, a circumstance 

 indeed which I have already noticed in the earlier pages 

 of this volume. Mr. Wicksted's hounds, when they fell 

 under my notice, presented the appearance of being 

 calculated for business, but it was his first season ; he 

 had not had sufficient time to render them complete as a 

 pack, though from what I noticed of this gentleman, I am 

 persuaded that every exertion will be made to render 

 them so as soon as possible. I might extend similar ob- 

 servations to many other packs which I have followed, 

 but it is no way necessary ; those who are disposed to 

 breed and improve, if possible, fox-hounds, will find 

 ample materials for the purpose ; nor have I the least 

 doubt, that they are still susceptible of improvement, 

 which will require some little time to accomplish, and can 

 only be brought about by a variety of crosses. 



The best fox-hounds, perhaps, that were ever seen, 

 were those bred by the late Colonel Thornton ; and this 

 gentleman, to accomplish his purpose, resorted to the 

 method I have just mentioned. Madcap and Lounger, 

 two of his most celebrated fox-hounds, could scarcely be 

 considered as thoroughly English, since, on the side of 

 the sire, they were of Continental extraction. Colonel 

 Thornton, however, was never possessed of many fox- 

 hounds—about sixteen or twenty couple, if I correctly 



