120 FEEDING HOUNDS 



in a similar manner after a hard or long day, by feeding 

 them twice, first sparingly, and two hours after more 

 bountifully ; and every man accustomed to the severe 

 exercise and long abstinence attending on field sports 

 must know that he could relish a glass of sherry and a 

 biscuit when he could not at once sit down to discuss a 

 good dinner ; and I rather suspect a glass of hot brandy 

 and water would be more grateful to him, when wet to 

 the skin, and his teeth chattering with cold, on a January 

 evening, than a jug of iced buttermilk. 



It is a rule worth observing, to feed horses and dogs 

 according to their work, but never to overload their 

 stomachs at any one meal, and especially not with fluids ; 

 and on one point I am thoroughly convinced, that the 

 same quantity of food divided into two feedings, morning 

 and evening, will keep dogs in a better and more healthy 

 condition than when given at once, which is the general 

 custom in kennels of fox-hounds. This was, at any rate, 

 the invariable custom with my own hounds, winter and 

 summer, throughout the year ; and the effect of this 

 treatment was manifest in their superior powers of 

 enduring fatigue, and living to a greater age, with less 

 diminished strength, than those in other establishments ; 

 and the last fox-hound I ever possessed, which, being a 

 great favourite, was reserved and sent to a neighbour, 

 ran at the head of his fast pack when in her eighth season. 

 A little consideration of our own particular feelings will 

 convince us how the case must stand with animals. At 

 our accustomed dinner hour we experience certain irrita- 

 ting or gnawing sensations about the region of the 

 stomach, which increase very soon to irritability of 

 temper in some individuals, should the fish and soup 

 not be placed on the table within half an hour after the 



