158 DISTINCTIVE FEATURES 



however, always been, in my opinion, inconsistent with 

 the short-turnings and doubUngs of the hare, which 

 must be followed step by step to constitute true hare- 

 hunting. Screaming and racing hares to death with 

 fox-hounds is entirely at variance with the true spirit 

 of that chase, and will be condemned by every genuine 

 thistle- whipper. A fox-hound cross (one only), with the 

 large old-fashioned or Southern harrier, may do very 

 well ; but beyond this I should not be disposed to go, 

 were I to keep a pack of harriers. The general complaint 

 made against the original breed is that they have too 

 much tongue, and dwell too long on the scent, without 

 making sufficient efforts to get forward with it. There 

 is also another fault, in running the heel way, when they 

 cannot advance with the head ; both these defects would 

 be remedied by a fox-hound cross. Trailing up to the 

 hare in the morning disposes harriers to be noisy ; but 

 hare-hunters consider this as one of the essentials of their 

 sport, yet it ought not to be much encouraged. In 

 feeding their hounds, also, huntsmen and masters of 

 harriers should insist upon the silence of the pack 

 during this process. 



