FOOD AND WARMTH. 205 



tion, is one of the most essential proofs of a hunts- 

 man's skill in the kennel. To preserve that even 

 state throughout the pack so desirable, he must be 

 well acquainted with the appetite of every hound. 

 While some will feed with a voracity not exceeded 

 by animal kind, others will require enticing to 

 their food. Delicate hounds may generally be 

 tempted with a little additional flesh, and with the 

 thickest and best of the trough, but they require 

 to be watched, and must not be fed all at once^ but 

 allowed to decline or return to their food accord- 

 ing to inclination." Now, as " The Noble Science" 

 was published some sixteen years after I had be- 

 come a Master of Fox-hounds, it is evident I could 

 not have taken a leaf out of this book on which to 

 found my system of treating hounds ; but it is a 

 great satisfaction to find so clever and expe- 

 rienced a Master corroborating my doctrine in this 

 respect. 



On the subject of warmth also we coincide, 

 although not as' to the general use of the warm- 

 bath. " It is absurd to suppose that hounds will 

 be more hardy and less liable to the effects of bad 

 weather if kept cold in kennel ; the warmer and 

 more comfortable they are kept within doors the 

 better they can battle with the elements. They 

 huddle all together on their litter, courting by 



