" STAND NOT, ETC. ETC., BUT GO AT ONCE." 145 



out every yard. Such hounds would lose patience, 

 overrun the scent, and in such cases, their blood being 

 up, would hunt anything, ay, the parson of the 

 parish, if they got on the scent of him, and possibly 

 kill him too, if they ran in to him. God send an 

 attorney or two I know in his place ! 



That great judgement is required in forming a really 

 perfect pack is shown by the fact, that where the 

 master understands the thing, and will take the 

 trouble of attending to it, we always see the best 

 packs. Few huntsmen could have got together such 

 a pack as the Raby when Lord Darlington personally 

 attended to the breeding and hunting them ; or 

 such as at one time the Ward lady pack, and some 

 others of the present day. Both the packs I have 

 mentioned I saw when quite a boy, and have never 

 forgotten them. This perfection was, however, the 

 result of years of experience and expense. Hounds 

 must not only have different qualifications as to speed 

 for different countries, but different shape and make. 

 In an open country, where hounds I may say race in to 

 their fox, the tall, very high-bred, and somewhat loose 

 coupled hound is required. In such countries where 

 foxes go long distances in search of prey (and coverts 

 generally lay wide), they {^lot the covei^ts) are in good 

 wind, seldom over fat, and, knowing they have only 

 speed to trust to to save themselves, go off at once, 

 and go in earnest. If, therefore, their speed is great, 

 what must the pace be to catch them ? Such hounds 

 would not do however in hilly countries : hills would 

 tire them to death ; while their game, being a shorter 

 legged animal, would beat them hollow. Here the 

 well-knit, low, long and broad hound must be had: 

 here positive physical strength is wanting both in 



VOL. I. L 



