412 The Management and Diseases of the Dag. 
attitudes ; remove them, and the beauty of the countenance 
is lost. 
I shall not take up space in this book, which is devoted 
to worthier, and I trust more interesting subjects, in 
describing the manner and time of operating. If any of 
my readers are desirous of obtaining such information, | 
refer them to those works wherein it is mentioned. I may, 
in this edition, add that cropping is now disallowed in 
Kennel Club Rules. 
ROUNDING. 
This may be termed cropping in another form, and unless 
absolutely necessary, as in the extension of cartilaginous 
disease in canker, it is equally to be condemned with the 
former. That it is a prevention of canker is purely imagi- 
‘nary. Such an idea is on a par with cutting offa leg to 
prevent its being broken. True, the part that is removed 
cannot become diseased, but what is left can, and is very 
likely to, after such unwise measures. And then, as 
Mayhew has it, ‘“‘ the wretched beast is rounded a second 
time,’’ and so on until he has little or no ear left. The 
operation is generally performed with a rounded iron, but, 
however done, it is cruel and unnecessary, and with 
_ foxhounds, amongst which it is chiefly practised, it adds 
neither to their beauty or usefulness. 
TAILING, 
This also is a dictate of fashion ; shortening this append- 
age is not necessarily a cruel operation. It should always 
be performed, when intended, a few days after birth, while - 
the parts are tender, easily and instantaneously removed, 
and with but little hemorrhage or subsequent disturbance 
to the animal. Drawing the tendons is not requisite 
except when a fine or tapering tail is required, and then it 
decidedly has that effect. For dividing the tail and then 
drawing it, a pair of the ordinary flat-nosed sharp-edged 
pincers are best adapted, and avoids the otherwise filthy 
habit of biting the required length off. 
