lAi REMINISCENCES, ETC. 



acknowledged his bitch pack to be perfect. " They're beauties." 

 he would say to himself; pointing to Dairy-maid, Pastime, 

 and Blowsy, " and John Mills * might well write their lives." 



" AVhen Mr. Smith bought Lord Foley's hounds, he liked 

 them small, and he used to call the ' Pytchley,' when John 

 \Yard had them, ' the great calves.' There was hardly a 

 dog hound in Mr. Smith's first pack much above twenty- 

 three inches. Afterwards he thought that the small hounds 

 could not jump over the long green briars which w^ere too 

 thick to admit of their creeping through, and he did not 

 rest till he had raised his bitch standard to as much over 

 twenty-three as he could get it, and his dogs to be as near 

 twenty-five as possible." — {Silk and Scarlet, p. 281.) 



The late Duke of Beaufort drew largely from Mr. Smith's 

 packs, with the assistance of his huntsman. Will Long. 

 The squire was fond of breeding from hounds of various 

 qualities ; well knowing that the combination of strength, 

 swiftness, and nose thus obtained form the perfect hound. + 



* Author of "The Life of a Fox-hound." 



t Somerville, the poet of "The Chase," thus graphically describe* 

 the merits of our native hounds : 



" Id thee alone, fair Land of Liberty, 



Is bred the perfect hound ; in scent and speed 



As yet unrivall'd 



His glossy skin, or yellow-pied, or blue, 



In lights or shades by Nature's pencil drawn, 



Reflects the various tints ; his ears and legs 



Fleck't here and there, in gay enamell'd pride 



Rival the speckled pard. His rush -grown tail 



O'er his broad back bends in an ample arch ; 



On shoulders clean, upright and firm he stands ; 



His round cat foot, straight hams, and wide-spread thighs, 



And his low-drooping chest, confess his speed, 



His strength, his wind, or on the steepy hill 



Or far-extended plain 



Observe with care his shape, sort, colour, size ; 

 Nor will sagacious huntsmen less regard 

 His inward habits." 



