MONTHS FOIl THE BIRTH OF WHELPS. 127 



tiiiually disturbed day and night ; and the young 

 hounds, when returned from their walks to the 

 greenyard, were kept duiing their play hours in a 

 state of incessant excitement and barking by pass- 

 ing objects and noises ; and when entered there 

 could be little cause for sm-prise at their being 

 found rather free with their tongues. If there is a 

 site more desirable than another for a kennel of 

 fox-hounds, it is that of the greatest retirement, 

 and secluded from the busy haunts of men — the 

 most solitary spot that can be selected — 



Far in a wilderness obscure 

 The lonely kennel lay. 



But to take things as we find them, if the 

 brood bitches are not permitted to roam at large, 

 they may be walked out by the feeder or hunts- 

 man for air and exercise two or three hours a day. 

 As oysters are in season only whilst there is an 

 " r'' in the month, so is it my impression that 

 whelps born in February, March, and April are 

 much more vigorous than those of later date ; in 

 fact, my prejudice (if you will) was so strong on 

 this point, that I never placed any confidence in 

 puppies ushered into the world after the second 

 week in May, with which, perhaps, the old vulgar 

 couplet known to farmers' wives had something 



