276 HUNTING DIRECTORY. 



French Hounds inferior to the Enghsh Hounds. 



flour, are poured over them : the whole is mixed toge- 

 ther, and this mess is given the dogs in the same manner 

 as the other. They eat it wilhngly, and it is extremely 

 refreshing for them. The body is afterwards given them 

 in the manner before described. 



Thus much for the French mode of treatment : their 

 hounds will not bear any comparison with those of the 

 English breed. The former are deficient in animation, 

 and possess a very small share of mettle ; while, on the 

 contrary, such is the blood of the well-bred English 

 hound, that he would instantly break up any wolf on 

 seizing it." 



The introduction of the fowling-piece in wolf hunting 

 does not, however, well harmonize with the ideas of an 

 English sportsman; though it is very freely used in 

 France, as will appear from the following description of 

 a run with a wolf: — Colonel Thornton, after observing 

 that they threw off at four o'clock, (whether morning or 

 evening is not stated) thus proceeds : — 



*' We soon roused a wolf, of which we had a view for 

 five or six miles ; however, there was no probability of 

 killing but by shooting him, and this was not easily done, 

 as the cover was extremely thick in underwood and 

 heath, the avenues having been entirely neglected since 

 the revolution. 



I heard several shots in different parts, and some of 

 them so near together, that I did not suppose them to 

 be at the same animal : however, the cry returned, and 

 I faintly saw something rush near me. The, hunters 

 then came up, and informed me that they had shot at a 

 wolf; and one of the party said, in an exulting tone, he 

 was confident that he had mortally wounded him. 



