SPORTING. 
These are certainly very reasonable regu- 
lations, and are applicable to all the modern 
forms of coursing. But the mode now in 
use is far more simple. A number of horse- 
men form a line, at about three or four yanis 
asunder, and having a brace of dogs loose 
at the heels of their owner, or divided in 
the line ; the cavalcade beat the covers, 
which should be very low, such as hether, 
or grass, or fallow lands, and all look out 
sharp for hares sitting. When a hare is 
seen, the call “ Soho ” gives notice to the 
whole party, which then file off so as to 
give tlie hare that offset which may appear 
most favourable to the sport. The dogs are 
kept back, until the hare is roused from her 
form, and has some law, when a horseman 
gallops after her, calling “ Hilloo,” “ Hil- 
loo,” so as to lay the dogs in; after which 
the whole party refrain from crossing her 
path, and in general ride at some distance 
behind, so as to avoid checUing the course : 
but in case the dogs should lose the hare 
among any high grass, &c. one, or more 
horsemen follow her, and again cheer the 
dogs, until they have her again in view. 
Some most extraordinary courses have 
been made: in 1800 a brace of greyhounds 
ran a hare for twelve minutes, during which 
she was often turned, and died before the 
dogs, at four miles from the spot whence she 
started. Greyhounds have ran w'ith sucli 
violence against each other in coursing, 
that both have been killed on the spot. 
The finest coursing is in Yorkshire, and 
Wiltshire, in both which counties remark- 
able fine greyhounds are bred. The fol- 
lowing old saying is,' perhaps, as good a 
description as can be given, in few words, 
of the principal points in a well formed 
greyhound. 
“ Head like snake. 
Neck like drake. 
Back like beam, (i. e. cambered, or 
arched.) 
Side like bream, (i. e. deep chested, 
and finely keeled.) 
Tail like rat. 
Foot like cat.” 
The best age to enter a dog is about a 
year; some enter them when only ten 
months old ; but one or two severe coui ses 
generally ruin them : in truth, coursing is 
too laborious for any dog not fully formed, 
and possessed of good constitution. Grey- 
hounds are very delicate while young ; and 
are, perhaps, of all dogs most subject to 
distemper. They are not full grown until 
two years old. The bitches generally, have 
most speed, and the dogs most strength. 
To give them good wind, biscuit soaked in 
good broth is their best diet; but no food 
should be given for four hours, at least, be- 
fore a dog is to run. 
Hare hunting generally commences so 
soon as all the crops are fairly off the ground, 
and that the leverets, or young hares, have 
acquired strength enough to stand before 
the hounds. The dogs mostly employed in 
this sport, are the north country beagle, 
which is nimble and vigorous, pursues a 
hare with impetuosity, gives her no time to 
double ; and, if the scent lies high, will 
easily run down two brace before dinner. 
These dogs are kept by the dashing class 
of sportsmen ; who are usually well mount- 
ed, and pride themselves on the quantity of 
game killed in a liay. But the breed mostly 
used for hare hunting are the deep tongued, 
thick-lipped, broad and long-hung, southern 
hounds. These ordinarily give a long chace, 
and succeed by dint of perseverance ; for 
their pace is rather slow, but their cry is 
peculiarly musical. 
A middle breed is sometimes seen, hav- 
ing rough wire-haired backs, thick quarters, 
and, rather thin shoulders; many suppose it 
to have been obtained by a cross with the 
Pomeranian dog, or the Russian hound. 
The whole may be mixed without disadvan- 
tage. There is another sort preferred from 
their acuteness of smelling, and because 
they are easily subsisted ; but they are apt 
to be great chatterers : these are very 
small, fine boned, long eared, and peculiarly 
handsome in their fore-quarters. The late 
Colonel Hardy had a cry, consisting of 
abont eleven couples of this diminutive race, 
which used to be carried to and from the 
field in a pair of panniers, slung across a 
horse. They were all stolen one night, to- 
getlier with the panniers, and not the least 
trace was afforded whereby to discover 
either the robbers or their booty. As that 
gentleman resided not far from the coast, it 
is probable his pigmy pack were sentenced 
to transportation beyond sea; and, no 
doubt, fetched a good price on the con- 
tinent. 
The nature of the country should deter- 
mine with regard to the choice of hounds. 
Where the dogs are very fleet, and the coun- 
try well enclosed, they act nearly on a par 
with slower hounds in an open district. 
When a dog is too fleet for the pack, he 
should be loaded w'ith a collar, filled with 
small shot; so as to make him carry weight. 
