ENTERING TO HIS GAME. 297 



of course be taken to prepare the sapling for his trial of 

 strength, though if exercised, as I have advised, twice a day, he 

 will run himself into pretty good condition; still some grey- 

 hounds are naturally so hardy that nothing will keep them 

 from putting on fat but a limitation of food, and in such a 

 case it is better to reduce them in a moderate degree before 

 showing them a hare. If, however, the ribs are tolerably 

 apparent, you need be under no apprehension of any mischief, but 

 in any case care should be taken that the course is not likely 

 to be very severe, and the hare should, if possible, be found 

 at such a distance from covert that it will not fatigue the 

 sapling too much for his strength. It is also a question whether 

 to put him down with another of the same age, or to pair him 

 with an older companion ; the former is the best plan, I think, 

 for even a sapling likes to have the hare to himself, and if he 

 does little with her, still he likes to find that he can do that 

 little as well as his fellow. Greyhounds, of all dogs, ought 

 to feel jealous of each other, and the moment that feeling 

 is extinguished, either by hopelessness or carelessness, the 

 animal will not exert himself. But at twelve months old a 

 sapling well reared and well bred will often knock his hare 

 about, and kill her too, and this is particularly the case with 

 forward bitches ; indeed, I have known many bitch saplings run 

 better in April than in the October following. As soon as the 

 sapling understands what he is doing, and finds that he has 

 a chance with his hare, especially if he is lucky enough to get a 

 kill, all that is required has been done, and he should be 



