PAINFUL OPERATIONS. 191 



him for this warfare with briers and thorns, we 

 are obhged to apply the rounding irons ; and I 

 know not how hemorrhage can be prevented with- 

 out adding to his suffering by using the cautery. 

 By sponging their heads and ears with cold water 

 (our general practice) the flow of blood will be 

 checked ; but the application of styptics to the 

 points of the ear would be attended with more 

 difficulty than benefit, as a young fox-hound, when 

 smarting with pain, is a most fractious subject to 

 deal with — in fact, with the exception of bulldogs 

 and mastiffs, no dog possesses more courage. 



Many a huntsman, to give their pack a smarter 

 appearance, round the ears too closely, for which 

 there is no necessity, and additional pain is thereby 

 inflicted, with a greater loss of blood. For any 

 reasonable purpose, it is quite sufficient to cut off 

 the tip only, unless there is a superabundance of 

 flap. Fox-hound puppies have to undergo three 

 painful operations before they are considered fit to 

 be added to the pack, — the removal of their dew- 

 claws, when a few days old, by a shaip pair of 

 scissors — branding on the side with a hot iron 

 mark before they are sent to walk — and afterwards 

 rounding. In branding, the iron ought never to 

 be used too hot, and some fresh lard, ready at 

 hand, should be applied the moment the mark is 



