CEITERION OF JUDICIOUS BKEEDING. 189 



They may be put forward on trial with this under- 

 standing, that they are not to be depended upon 

 until after the second season. But those bred 

 from well-tried sires and dams may be safely 

 calculated upon to add strength to the pack, 

 and not fail when most needed in their third 

 season. 



Judgment in breeding fox-hounds, as well as in 

 breeding cattle and sheep, is of the very first im- 

 portance, and from the want of this it is that a 

 pack of fox-hounds suffers when taken in hand by 

 a young huntsman and inexperienced Master. 

 Appearances to them are too often the first con- 

 sideration, and to these are sacrificed the other 

 sterling qualities upon which good sport most 

 materially depends. The great criterion of judi- 

 cious breeding is seen by the number of three- 

 stasoned hounds. If nearly all have stood the test 

 thus far (barring accidents), it is a sure proof of 

 the breeder's judgment ; if the reverse is the case, 

 there is great fault somewhere. In many large 

 kennels the young hounds are all brought in about 

 the same time, and the rejected sent away imme- 

 diately the first selection has been made by the 

 Master ; and this is the wisest plan to adopt under 

 the circumstances, or to separate them into two 

 divisions, for the larger the number crowded into 



