Fox-Hunting 297 



around the edges, are most in favor. The 

 spotted hounds are thought to be faster than 

 the blacks or the blue-mottles. Certainly 

 they are nothing like so pleasing to eye or ear. 

 Shakespeare might have had the blue-mottles 

 in mind when he wrote of hounds : 



" IVith ears that sweep away the morning dew. 

 Crook-kneed and dew-lapped like Thessalian 



bulls. 

 Slow in pursuit, but matched in mouth like 



bells. 

 Each under each." 



Since it is largely Shakespeare's English 

 which is spoken in Tennessee, it is not sur- 

 prising to find there many dogs called by the 

 names he has made immortal. Lady, Love- 

 Locks, Sweet-Lips, Snow-Ball, Jupiter, Juno, 

 Remus, Romulus, each and several are favor- 

 ites; along with Ring, Rattler, Black-Eye, 

 Beauty-Spot, Dancer, Dixie, Tiger, and Top- 

 Knot. There are others much more common- 

 place, but the rule of alliteration is almost 

 invariable. No man thinks of keeping a 

 single hound. Since he has at the least two, he 

 gives them names that halloo well, one after 

 the other. 



Fox-hunting has left its mark indelibly on 

 life and language. He who talks of running 

 riot, mouths a hunting phrase. Riot is tech- 



