230 HUNTING IN MANY COUNTRIES. 



change in the foxhound world, and is widely welcomed on that 

 account. There is, as a matter of course, the fact that the 

 judges are different from year to year, and that sometimes 

 judges have a slightly different idea as to the relative merits 

 of hounds. A majority now go for the massive, heavy type, 

 while some others are all for quality, and not such sticklers 

 for bone and size. But as all recognise that certain conditions, 

 such as straightness of limb, must be acknowledged, it follows 

 that there are not many real differences of opinion. One judge 

 likes a heavy hound, the other a lighter one, but if there 

 should be one of each type in a competitiou, and the good, 

 heavy dog is a better hound than the light one, or vice versa, 

 it is good odds that the better hound, no matter of which type 

 he is, will get the verdict. If the two judges do not agree 

 there is always a mass of expert knowledge round the ring 

 from which a referee is instantly forthcoming. 



The question of heavy or rather lighter hounds does not 

 affect the question as to whether hounds have improved, but 

 it is an important matter, and though some may prefer the 

 24in. hound, of beautiful quality and endowed with great 

 elegance, to the more weighty hound an inch higher, the fact 

 remains that a fair standard of height cannot be maintained 

 in any kennel unless the big hounds are used. In other words, 

 there must be big bitches to breed the big hounds, and so 

 maintain the size, and big bitches cannot as a rule be bred 

 unless they are sired by big dog hounds. There are exceptions, 

 and a huntsman told me not long ago that the smallest bitch 

 at his kenned was thei daou of the two biggest bitches and 

 of the biggest dog hound in the pack; but he added that she 

 came of a big strain, though she herself was so wanting in size. 

 To me it always appears that when there is great size clumsi- 

 ness is apt to creep in; but the massive 25in. hound 

 is probably the most perfect dog in tlie world, and if one 

 frequently sees more quality in hounds which are not so 

 big, this hardly applies to bitches, some of the very big ones 

 being brimful of quality, and with bone which is quite in 

 keeping with their size. Bone in bitches is nothing like so pro- 

 nounced as it is in dog hounds, and this is another reason why 

 hounds with really big bone should be used at the stud. In 

 some kennels 1 have seen bitches that were really beautiful 



