58 DOMESTICATED DOGS. 



requires it to ascertain the direction of the " cry," so as to get 

 quickly to it, and, accordingly, enough of the flap of the ear is 

 left on for good hearing, while the remainder, as being likely 

 to be torn, is removed by the rounding-iron ; and even from a 

 humanitarian point of view the practice is entirely justified, as 

 also is the removal of the dew claws, which, like the ear-flaps, 

 are constantly liable to be torn. For these reasons the artist 

 and the ardent lover of animals should forgive the practice of 

 " rounding," malgrd Mr. Colam, who has more than once run a 

 tilt against it. 



A third faculty in which this hound differs from his congeners 

 is a mental one, leading him always, when he loses scent of his 

 quarry, to cast forward rather than backward, and to do this with 

 a " dash " altogether unlike the slow and careful quest of the 

 bloodhound and others of that ilk. This, of course, may be 

 overdone, like all good qualities, and in that case the honnd con- 

 stantly overruns the scent; but without it in these days few foxes 

 would be killed, for unless they are hard pressed the scent soon 

 fails and is altogether lost. 



Beyond the formation of each individual in his pack, the 

 M.F.H. also has to consider the " sortiness " and " suitiness," 

 that is to say, he desires that all should be of the same 

 " sort," or, in other words, should show themselves to be of 

 the same breed, and should not resemble a " scratch " pack got 

 together by chance, and that each should resemble each in every 

 respect. Thus a pack may be "suity" although composed of 

 very different strains, while it may be '' sorty " though it may 

 vary in size from 22 inches to 25. Fpr absolute perfection in 

 appearance, both these points must be attended to, while in the 

 field it is also necessary that in their tongues there shall be 

 the desired kind of music, and pretty nearly all alike. So also 



