HUNTING DIRECTORY. 183 



Blood to a Pack of Fox Hounds. 



quantity of game be killed to them : — for instance, a 

 pointer, which, in the hands of a good shot, is a capital 

 dog, and performs his work in the best possible style, 

 will soon manifest uneasiness and disappointment, if he 

 happen to be taken out by an indifferent or bad marks- 

 man: if tlie game fall not before him, he soon loses the 

 inclination to pursue it, at least in a proper manner : and 

 hence it would clearly appear that the capture of the ob- 

 ject of pursuit is necessary to the excellence of the dog, 

 though blood is by no means indispensable, since he ea- 

 gerly pursues that which he can never expect to taste. 

 Similar remarks are applicable to the greyhound ; and 

 harriers, I am inclined to think, which seldom reach the 

 game, will never be remarkable for their excellence. — 

 The dog feels an indescribable pleasure in the gratifica- 

 tion of his master — to accomplish this he exerts his 

 powers to the utmost, and when he is conscious of having 

 accomplished it, he may be fairly supposed to be satis- 

 fied. 



Fox hunters, however, in general, will have some dif- 

 ficulty in reconciUng themselves to the idea of blood not 

 being essential to a pack of fox hounds ; yet, from what 

 has been stated, it is reasonable to conclude, that, though 

 the death of the fox may be indispensable to the excel- 

 lence of the hounds, devouring him afterwards is a cir- 

 cinnstance not absolutely called for, and no further ne- 

 cessary than merely giving a better and more complete 

 finish to the business than could be otherwise accom- 

 plished. 



There is a decree of interest and animation about fox 



