CAPT J. OTHO PAGET. Ready for Work ! And ready for play ! Brimful of health and fitness from the tip of his friendly nose to the tip of his wagging tail ! The wonderful stamina of the sporting dog demands that perfect balance of meat and wheat found only in Spratt's crisp " Meat-Fibrine " Dog Cakes and nourishing " Rodnim " meal. Feed working dogs ex- clusively on Spratt's — for their own sakes, and for the success of the sport which depends on their untiring energy. Avoid imitations. Every genuine Spratt's biscuit is ; clearly stamped with the name and the trademark X : for your protection. Write for your copy of ^ the "Biscuit Book" to SPRATT'S PATENT . LIMITED, 24/25, Fenchurch St., London, E.C.3. SPRATrS AAEAT FIBRINE DOG FOODS Out of the pages of '* Game and Gun '' have been taken the articles which make up this volume. " Game and Gun '' is as noted for its authoritative hunting articles as it is for a collective literary fare which includes shooting, angling, big game hunting, estate management, game rearing — every phase of outdoor sport at home and overseas. It is the monthly for the gentleman sportsman. It embraces all his sport- ing interests, and presents them in a style so captivating, so full of lively interest in word and picture, that every issue but augments the desire for another. Become a regular subscriber to your own Maga- zine. Send your remittance to the address below to-day ! GAME & GUN & THE COUNTRY ESTATE Twelve monthly issues come to you, post paid for 12/- annual subscription. A copy of the current issue costs only 1 /3 post paid. Send your order to the Manager, " Game & Gun and The Country Estate," 37/38, Temple Chambers, Temple Avenue, London, E.C 4. HUNTING REFLECTIONS By CAPT. J. OTHO PAGET. Reprinted from " Game and Oun and the Country Estate." 37/8, TEMPLE CHAMBERS, TEMPLE AVENUE^ LONDON, E.G. 4 Printed by The Adelphi Press Ltd. Barking, Essex. Foreword These short chapters on some phases of hunting are a reprint of articles luritten for " Game and Gun." Having been written at intervals, and without any idea of subsequent collection in book form, must be their excuse for their lack of continuity. This does not pretend to be anything like a com- plete manual of the sport and are merely reflec- tions that occurred to me at the time. Although meant chiefly as a little assistance to beginners at the game, experts might find some of the ideas worth their consideration. Hunting is an ab- sorbing subject and the last word on it will never be written, so that even this modest contribution may provide something for discussion. When two or three enthusiasts are gathered together many pleasant hours can be spent in exchanging ideas on hounds and hunting. Foxhunting is the main theme in these pages, but an article " The Beagle and the Hare " was written at the same period, and has therefore been included. However, very many of the most successful amateur foxhound huntsmen have graduated with beagles, and this may not be out of place. THE AUTHOR. CONTENTS r^jc^jT^* CHAPTER 1. HUNTING 2. FOXHOUNDS 3. CONDITION AND CUB-HUNTING 4. THE START OF THE SEASON 5. THE M.F.H. 6. THE HUNTSMAN . . 7. THE WHIPPER-IN 8. THE FOX .. 9. THE FIELD 10. FOX COVERTS 11. THE END OF THE SEASON 12. THE BEAGLE AND THE HARE PAGE 9 16 27 42 56 84 98 106 118 132 142 ERRATA Page 36, line 20, for '•' up-wind " read " down-wind." Page 52, line 29, for " rights" read " lights.'' Page 90, line 25 , for "walking'' read "warning.'* Page 92, line 12, for " means " read " smeuses." Page 139, Zme 22, /or "^Zose^i" read "dressed." HUNTING. CHAPTER ONE. IN addition to coining new words our American friends have a habit of using certain terms and expressions in a sense entirely diiferent from their meaning to us on this side of the water. Some changes may not appeal to our insular conservatism, but personally I consider the Americans' wider inter- pretation of " hunting " to be a very great improve- ment on the restricted manner in which we apply it. Hunting is a noun bom of a verb, and as such we have grown accustomed to using it solely in describing the methods of hounds following a scent. The English dictionary certainly does not take this narrow view in its definition, which we read as '* the act or practice of pursuing wild animals for catching or killing them.'* In America the man who goes forth to the chase with hounds only, and he who depends on his gun for sport, bear equally the title of hunter. This seems to me the correct and sportsmanlike way of looking at it. 10 One man relies on the instincts of his hounds to follow the hunted animal to its death, whilst the other depends solely on his own woodcraft to find the game, and his skill in shooting to compass its end. The kill is, of course, the crowning achievement of every chase, but there is little satisfaction in attaining that end unless the hunt leading up to it has been good. Before the era of the breech-loader the shooter's happiest moments were in looking for or hunting for his game, so that an easily found and acquired heavy bag was less valued than a light one that had taken him all his skill to obtain. Modem and artificial conditions have probably robbed the sportsman to-day of the glamour our forefathers enjoyed in shooting. The excitement of finding the game, except on rough shoots, is now practically a thing of the past, and thus the truest form of the sport is lost. This does not mean that the average shooting man is any worse sportsman than his predecessors, but instead of deriving his chief pleasure from hunting for his game, he now has to depend on his skill in straight and clean shooting to satisfy his sporting instincts. To accomplish successfully difficult shots, and to drop his birds stone dead, is at the present day the highest ideal of the shooter. The mere act of killing does not appeal to the experienced shot and must eventually satiate the appetite of the most bloodthirsty. The head-keeper who by his knowledge of woodcraft is able to engineer a drive or beat so that the birds are brought to the desired points, must enjoy better sport and greater satisfaction than those who do the actual killing. In the same way a stalker has the 11 advantage of the man who holds the rifle. To get within range of the wild stag on his native mountain may mean several hours of strenuous walking, but it is the abihty of the guide in the choice of ground, method of approach, and judgment of how local con- tours will affect the wind, that the rifleman must depend on to secure the desired shot. The expert stalker may feel a momentary pang of disappointment when after the exercise of aU his skill he brings the stalk to a successful chmax and the man with the rifle then misses an easy shot, but he will still have the satisfaction of knowing that he himseK has scored a triumph over the wild. The love of sport was engrafted in us by nature for our mental and physical weU-being — that is, to give an absorbing recreation as a rehef from life's stem duties, and at the same time encourage the desire for hard exercise, without which there can be neither bodily fitness nor good health. Nowadays, in pur- suance of the sport we love there is a tendency to forget that nature meant we should enjoy it, only after hard work and stubborn endurance. The smooth and easy way, the desire for comfort and luxury, the warmth and soft side of life, they all make a natural appeal to the sybarite within us. We do not reaUse that by thus indulging the appetite for luxury, much of the pleasure we strive to attain is withheld. Riding to hounds six days or even four days a week must always be strenuous exercise and will keep followers of the sport from becoming flabby in either mind or muscle, but motor-cars have latterly con- siderably modified the severity of a fox-hunter's exertions. At the close of last century everyone would cheerfully accept the thought of a fifteen or 12 twenty mile ride home after a good run, but in these times such a sequel to a day's hunting would be very unwelcome to the majority of young men. The substitution of " driving " for the old method of " walking up " may have resulted in a great im- provement in actual shooting skill, but the walk from one stand to another is after all only fit exercise for the old and infirm. The idea to-day seems to be to get a maximum bag at the expense of the minimum exertion and fatigue. Although the fact is not appreciated, severe exercise does undoubtedly increase the pleasure of all sport, and the popularity of stalking is sufficient proof. Although it is a sport confined chiefly to rich men, their riches do not smooth the road to success, and it is only at the expense of many hours' arduous toil they can hope to attain a stag. The big game hunter is another instance of the man who relies for the greater part on his search for the game to afford him the finest thrills. The hard work, discomfort and dangers attendant thereon only help to increase his keenness, and no heads or skins are valued unless they have been difficult to procure. Unless it may be the urgent necessity of getting fresh meat, no man who at con- siderable expense visits the wilder parts of Africa takes any pleasure in that which is easy to find and as easy to kill. The American application of the word ** hunting " to the use of either gun or hound by which I began this article has led me away into other channels which it is not my intention further to explore. My idea was to emphasise the necessity for a mutual sympathy between hunting and shooting men. The principal goal of the best exponents in both sports is the same. 13 and it is only their methods that differ. Between the man who only hunts and he who only shoots relations are, I fear, sometimes strained. If they would both try to remember the old adage : " Do unto others as they should do unto us," and be occasionally ready to sacrifice their own pleasure for the brotherhood of sport, the little bickerings would cease and we should become again a happy family. The man of leisure and with no duties to occupy his mind, whether he be a follower of hounds or gun, is Hable to develop a selfishness and want of consideration for. others which is more or less responsible for the friction occurring at intervals. Most men who undertake the mastership of foxhounds develop a keen sense of their responsibilities and are always considerate of the sporting man's interests, but the efforts of a master to promote good feeling are often marred by some thoughtless member of his field, either by word or deed. No master would ever think of drawing a covert that the owner or tenant was intending to shoot within the next day or two. This, however, cannot be avoided unless friendly relations are established between them, so that they can make their arrangements to interfere as httle as possible with each other's sport A good run with a straight-necked fox may some- times upset a master's calculations and lead hounds into coverts he wished to avoid. A letter of apology for the disturbance would follow, and the owner of the shoot, if a good sportsman, would accept the explana- tion in the spirit it was offered, realising that it would be against the traditions of hunting to stop hounds in the middle of a great run. The owner of a shoot who forbids hounds to enter his coverts at any time or season, loses much of the u good-fellowship that should exist between the two sports, a loss that a few extra head of game cannot make good. Foxes have earned a reputation for killing game which they do not always deserve. If gamekeepers and their employers would more often balance the good a fox does against his crimes, they would look more leniently on him. A vixen with cubs, whose mate has been killed, has little time to hunt for her food and may take the nearest she can get. Keepers know as well as I can tell them, and for which they have ample proof in their billets, that a wild fox's food does not consist wholly of either fur or feather. Rats, mice and beetles are the outstanding ingredients of Reynard's evening meal. It is in his search for the succulent rat round pheasant pens that he often incurs the fears and animosity of the rearer. All those with much experience of rearing pheasants have had trouble with rats, and though rats may be attracted by the food in the first place, they are not averse to killing the yoimger birds; while their egg-destroying propensities need no emphasis. When the employer insists on having both foxes and pheasants in his coverts, some keepers make use of a method which is as bad for their eventual interests as it is for hunting. The method is to enclose the vixen and cubs within a wire pen until the pheasants can roost safely in the trees. The vixen thus acquires the fatal habit of getting her food without hunting for it, and is also unable to instruct her family in the art. The result is, both mother and children, when given their liberty, prowl round the neighbourhood of their late prison, killing and eating that which is close at hand. Foxes thus brought up in this un- 15 natural state are useless for hunting, and, should any survive hounds* first visit, will kill more fowls and pheasants than ten litters of wild animals. It should be remembered that the wild fox seldom hunts for food anywhere near his kennel, and nearly always wanders far afield in search of a night's supper. The war seems to have bred a spirit of sport amongst those with no inclination that way before, and the result is we have numerous recruits to hunting, who had little opportunity to acquire knowledge in boy- hood. The more the merrier 1 They would, however, do well to learn the rudiments of venery ere they launch forth in pursuit. By this means they would be enabled to appreciate and understand the finer points which otherwise would be lost to them. Here let me reiterate what I have already written, that the full enjoyment of any sport must entail the capacity to endure discomforts and hard work. There are, I regret to say, a number of people each winter who fly to warmer climes, thereby sacrificing the hardy element in their northern blood to the soft, sensuous luxuries of the south. CHAPTER TWO. THE FOXHOUND. THERE are and always will be certain people of the old school who insist that nothing has improved and everything was better in days gone by. From sportsmen of this class it is only natual to hear the verdict that hounds have not the hunting quahties they formerly possessed, and that most present day packs are unable to follow a cold scent. Without in the least agreeing to this sweeping assertion, I think the moment has arrived when it is up to hound breeders of the present day to find out if there is even a grain of truth in the indictment. The hound with his exceptional hunt- ing powers is a legacy we have inherited, and it behoves us to bequeath to posterity an animal every bit as good, or perhaps better, than the one handed down to us. The emulation amongst hound breeders to achieve success at Peterborough may have in some cases led individuals to depart from the time honoured rule of only breeding from hounds of excep- tional merit in the field. Of course, we all know 16 17 that winning a prize in the show ring is no test o^ ability to hunt, and the ribbon is awarded solely for conformation. What constitutes the proper confor- mation of a hound, which much possess speed, stamina and constitution to enable him to do his work with the least exertion to himself, is not easy to define. There are many excellent judges with a natural eye for a hound, but there are others equally painstaking, who have not the gift. The novice, however, who has spent half-a-dozen mornings in the kennel has no difficulty in deciding whether a hound is straight or otherwise : the result being that this one point has been seized upon as essential above aU others. I do not wish to minimise the importance of a straight leg, and there is no doubt the continual use of sires without that quahfication would eventually produce a race of animals as crooked as bassetts. The straight leg undoubtedly adds to the beauty of outline, but it has less influence on a hound's powers of en- durance and speed than either shoulders, ribs, or thighs. Also a hound that can stand straight on the flags may not be able to walk straight, when he will show a tendency either to be tied in or out at elbows both faults difficult to detect in a limited space. Whilst on the subject of straight legs — ^the fore only — it will be as well to discuss their merits in enabling a hound to stand hard work. When going full speed, ventre a terre, it has been suggested that the straight leg throws the whole shock on the shoulders, and it should be remembered that the greater the pace a hound is going the harder he will hit the ground. The Imee that does not carry straight down to the toe and bends shghtly backwards, we have always 18 considered a sign of weakness, but that failing very rarely results in a breakdown, whereas in the perfect leg *' toes down " are not uncommon, and I have heard huntsman complain of shaken shoulders when the ground has been extra hard in cub-hunting. Would those shoulders have been injured had the knee been sHghtly bent, and does that eye-sore reheve somewhat the jar, like a horse's fetlock? These are questions worth our consideration. The modern fox- hound is a thing of beauty, a combination of quahty with strength, which it would be very hard to im- prove on, and it would be hazardous to try experi- ments with blood that had no lineage to back it. Belvoir has always been renowned for legs, and anything diverging a hair's breadth from the plumb was ruthlessly drafted ; but with numerous litters bred and almost unlimited walks the kennel had greater opportunities than others. In spite of this fastidious- ness in the minor details and straightness and colour, no hound was ever bred from at Belvoir that showed the sHghtest fault or was not perfect in its work. The result of this was that every kennel in the king- dom has drawn on this well-known pack for sires to improve their hounds. Although Belvoir has done great good in spread- ing its shining qualities over a wide sphere, it ha« perhaps done harm in another way, inasmuch as it set a fashion which smaller kennels tried jx) imitate. The straight leg and the Belvoir tan were the external attributes of the famous pack. These were seized upon by lesser lights as ideals fqr which they had to breed, forgetting that however perfect in legs and colour, no hound was allowed to reproduce itself at Belvoir unless faultless in work. 19 Now I have no knowledge of any master or hunts- man having erred in forgiving a hound lack of hunting abihties on account of good looks, but I have a strong suspicion that it may have occasionally happened in small kennels. It is easy to understand when a moderate- looking pack breeds a hound that would not be out of place at Peterborough, there is a strong temptation to be lenient in criticising his performance in the field. The huntsman almost unconsciously is apt to follow the advice often given to a wife on taking unto herself a husband, "Be to his virtues ever kind, and to his faults a little blind." The argument I have frequently heard expressed is that even if a hound does not display marked abiUty in hunting, he may safely be used as a sire if his breeding is right. The weak point in this argument is that although even great grand sires and great grand dams on both sides may have enjoyed stainless reputa- tions the individual is Uable to inherit some weakness from a more remote ancestor. If then he is bred from, he is quite likely to transmit the failing to his progeny. In the days when foxhounds were not as numerous as now, there would certainly be some with a leaven of sin in their composition, and it is that faint trace handed down through perhaps a hundred genera- tions which is Uable to reappear again. Breeding from a hound with some imperfection, throwing back to an ancestor in the far distant past, would be risking the re-incarnation of a fault, almost blotted out by repeated infusions of honest blood. Everyone has the right to indulge his taste or fancy about the minor points of a hound and to breed an animal along the lines which please his eye. I do, however, dispute the right of anyone calling himself a sportsman to allow his taste for appearance 20 to make him neglect the essential quaUties of a hound he may desire to perpetuate. Such a crime is an insult to past generations and a felony on those unborn. In referring to the Belvoir I am not doing it in a spirit of criticism, having always been a consistent admirer of the pack. You will look in vain through the whole kennel for a leg that is not plumb straight, and the beautiful tan colour is a delight to the eye. Style, quaUty, and strength are there in perfection. Owing to the number of puppies bred, the Dukes of Rutland could afford to indulge a harmless fancy for colour or straight legs without loss of hunting quaU- ties. History, however, relates that Belvoir once drafted, for not being quite straight, a hound destined to acquire great fame and to live again in later years through the reputation of his children's children. This was Mr. Osbaldestone's Furrier, a descendant of Mr. Meynell's Stormer. Some twenty years later Belvoir acquired Rallywood from the Brocklesby, and this hound was more or less responsible for the pack's distinction in the latter haK of the last century. Ralljrwood being a descendant in the male line of Furrier, Belvoir was thus able to make a sohd foundation on the stone they had previously rejected. Leaving the straight leg as considered necessary for the true conformation of a hound in his work, and therefore requiring no further argument, I come to the absurd craze for the Belvoir tan colour which has done great harm. The old saying that " a good horse is never a bad colour " is equally applicable to a hound. The desire of a master or a huntsman to have his pack match in size and colour is a laudable ambition, but it must be a great waste of good material to discard the best hunters because their 21 ^lour does not please the eye. We are all rather prone to this sort of " eye-wash." and the pack that appears level at the meet cannot really enjoy jbhat distinction unless it possess neither " head " nor " tail " in running. In discussing the colour ques- tion, size may seem a side issue, and my only reason for introducing it here is because in speaking of an evenly-matched pack both size and colour are meant. A pack of this description is very attractive, par- ticularly when there is a general similarity of type and expression. It may be a pleasing sight on the flags or at a meejb, but according to my ideas it cannot be called level unless the proverbial sheet covers it in running. In Cecil's Hunting Tours, published in 1863, I notice there was at that date a leaning towards the Belvoir tan and the gradual elimination of the lighter colours has been going on ever since. Probably the reason ihis tendency has taken such a long time to reach its present state is that huntsmen were loth to part with their best working hounds, which very frequently were either badger or lemon pied. There is no doubt in my mind that certain characteristics are the inseparable attributes of colour, derived prob- ably from some ancestqr in the distant past. When, therefore, we see hounds of a particular colour are almost invariably extra good in their work, it must bo foolish to discard them because they do not please the eye. The Berkeley retained the light colours longer than any other pack of repute, and enjoyed a great reputation for its performances in the field. Amongst other good qualities it was renowned for " tongue," a very important attribute of a hound, and in which many present-day packs are lamentably b2 22 lacking. Some years ago, in discussing with a hunts- man where to go for a change of blood, I suggested the Berkeley, and though he at once admitted its good qualities, he replied, " I am afraid of getting that light colour in the kennel." This, I fear, has been the general sentiment. Referring again to Hunting Tours, in speaking of the Berkeley "Cecil" says: "I have for many years expressed my allegiance to that blood, and every day's experience confirms me in the opinion that for general purposes of utility, in countries where a combination of those qualities have to a certain degree been overlooked, there are no hounds fco sur- pass them." By "general purposes of utility" I presume the writer meant hounds that excelled in the field and could cajbch their foxes, which is, after all, the sort we want now. In 1863 I think the badger pie would be the prevailing colour in the Berkeley kennels. In spite of the determined efforts to stamp out the old light colour, it occasionally crops up, and when it does appear I hope some lover of the fox- hound will cherish ijb. Peterborough has, I venture to think, made a mistake in encouraging the taste for the very big hound. It is quite true that sires with size and sub- stance must be used, or otherwise the breed might degenerate into weeds, but there is a happy medium. Opinions have always varied as to what is the most useful size for a foxhound, but personally I think dogs of twenty-three inches and bitches of twenty-two are big enough for all practical purposes. We have it on record that " Mr. Meynell's taste led him to admire large hounds, buji his experience convinced 2S him that small ones were generally the stoutest, soundest, and in every respect the most executive." As Mr. Meynell hunted the Quorn country for close on fifty years, he had ample time to arrive at this conclusion. In those days the country was not as enclosed as it is now, and a big hound would have a better chance, so that there is every reason why we should be content with medium-sized hounds at present. Again quoting " Cecil," "It is now very generally acknowledged that hounds of a medium stature are to be preferred to over-sized ones, most especially in a hilly and woo.dland country." Further on he alludes to the same subject and says : " Medium-sized hounds, provided they possess mus- cular powers with good legs and feet, possess so very many advantages over their gigantic brethren that it is difficult to imagine what can induce any man of practical experience and observation to patronise them." "Cecil" was continually visiting different packs and had exceptional opportunities of forming a just opinion. He is one of the very few writers oJ the past to whom we can refer to for information about hounds, the majority confining their remarks to the exploits of riders. We may take it that Brocklesby Bally wood, sire of the well-known Belvoir hound of that name, was of the smaU and active sort, at least judging from Will Goqdalls' description. He says: "This is a most beautiful little short-legged dog, exceedingly light of bone, but with beautiful legs and feet." A writer of later date, Mr. Clapham, says: " As. tc size, a hound of twenty-three inches or under is in nine cases out of ten a, much better performer than one of twenty-four or five inches." He again refers 24 to size in the ability to jump fences, and remarks : " We can say without the least hesitation that a small, compactly built hound will invariably beaji a big, lengthy hound when it CQmes to negotiating all sorts of fences." This writer has evidently studied the subject very thoroughly, and as much of his ex- perience appears to have been gained on the Fells, where, with no fences to stop them, ijb might be thought the big hounds would score, we would do well tc heed his advocacy of the small, compact sort. Mr. Clapham, in his book, Foxes, Foxhounds, and Foxhunting, definitely condemns the modern fox- hound which appeals to Peterborough judges, and states that ihe animal finding favour there is not built on the lines to stand a really hard day's work, or at least will not last them many seasons. I think all who. have the interest of the foxhound at heart should read and ponder over i}he conclusions this author arrives at. Although agreeing with much he has written, and recognising the powers of observa- tion that have enabled him to write the book, I can- not agree with him entirely. What experience Mr. Clapham may have had in .the grass countries of the Midlands I do not know, but imagine it must have been slight. When he speaks of modern foxhounds that have been taken to the Fells, he says they have compared very badly, both for nose and pace, with the local hounds. What these particular animals were like, or where they hailed from, he does not state, but as the Fell sports- men are not naturally overburdened with money, they would hardly be prepared k) pay big prices. It is not likely the master of a fashionable pack would 26 give away his best hounds, and these individuals that have disgraced their ancestry were probably drafted as useless. I have had no experience of fell hunting, but it seems to me that with the majority of the field following on foot, hounds have a much better chance than in a grass country, where a crowd of horsemen are continually pressing. In the former case, also, the ground is less foiled and there are fewer ex- traneous smells to spoil scent. The best grazing grounds of Quorn, Belvoir, or Cottesmore will often contain four and five sheep to the acre, besides other stock, whereas on moor and mountain I presume one sheep Jbo ten acres would be nearer the mark, though the greater part of the hunting season there are no sheep at all on the high ground. I can quite believe that the Fell hounds, having been bred entirely for their abilities to hunt foxes, without any fancy for shape or colour, are reliable for that purpose, but doubt very much if their ancestry is as good as the packs Mr. Clapham condemns. The blood of the latter was selected in the first instance from the best sources England could produce, and though some latter-day breeders may have for the time effaced its good qualijb'ies, judicious selection will bring it again to the surface. Colonel Curre has worked hard for the last thirty years in incorporating the best elements of English and Welsh blood. The fact that he has got together now a very killing pack of hounds with nose, drive, and tongue, should mean that he has attained suc- cess. Unless I am very much mistaken, however, he finds great difficulty in fixing a type, and the results of mixing two different strains of blood is not 26 always satisfactory. When I had the pleasure of seeing his pack^ what struck me most was the general excellence of shoulders, and if Colonel Curre con- tinues to keep that essential point as a guiding star for the next ten years he will, I think, definitely establish a breed. Colonel Curre began his labours because he wa& dissatisfied with many of the English hounds' work in the field and disagreed with the fancy points that gained favour at Peterborough. Introducing new strains into old-esj>ablished blood is always a hazardous proceeding and may result in bringmg out the worst qualities of both. I should therefore advise anyone desirous of improving his pack to select descendants of well-known EngUsh ancestors and breed only from those inheriting their best hunting qualities. Let him forget for a few years all about feet and legs, con- fining his attention in conformation chiefly to shoulders, ribs, and thighs but above all remembering that all these things are worthless unless the balance is true. I feel convinced that the sterling qualities possessed by hounds of the early nineteenth century are only dormant and that careful breeding would restore them to their original pristine strength. Foxhound breeders of to-day must realise from Mr. Clapham's indictment and from Colonel Curre 's search into the unknown that all is not as ijt should be, and it is therefore time they put their house in order. CHAPTER THREE. CONDITION AND CUB-HUNTING. ON the methods and system of the above hangs the future of the coming season. These, and these alone, spell success or failure. With- out a proper observance of these essentials, the best pack of hounds in the world will not catch their foxes. For this reason I take the above title as my text, in the hope of impressing beginners with the importance thereof. Midsummer is past, and before this article appears, much of the conditioning should have been done, but let us hope the sermon will not have been wasted. Even amongst experts there seems a difference of opinion as to the appearance of a hound in good condition, and this difference can be easily noted in visiting a number of kennels. There are some people who like to see their hounds big and lusty at the beginning of the season, and who say it is best to have something to start on, whilst others like to begin 27 28 with every rib showing, and believe it is easier to work on than work off. I should prefer the latter of the two systems, but consider both are wrong. The old hound should never be allowed to lose the muscle he developed in the last season, and should have sufficient exercise all summer to retain it. What that exercise should be and how much should be given must be left to the discretion of the man in charge. No hard and fast rule can be made as to the time, distance or pace of summer exercise — all three must depend to a certain extent on the weather. When the sun is very hot and the roads dusty, the pace should be slow, and the distance curtailed ; but against this it should be remembered there are many hot days in the latter part of August and beginning of September, when, if a pack is not inured to exercise in the heat of the day, it will be seeking the shade instead of killing a cub. In addition to the regular horse exercise, which in a well-organised establishment will be completed before the sun has had time to gain much power, it is of great benefit to the health of hounds to walk them out in the afternoon for an hour or two. If there is a field with some trees for shade within a mile or two, the huntsman or whoever is in charge can walk there and sit down, allowing his hounds to play about, dig up pig-nuts, and generally amuse themselves. Of course, two assistants are required to see that none stray or get into mischief. However clean kennels may be kept, the air soon becomes tainted, and the inmates will gain fresh vigour from being taken into the open. The average kennelman is of very superior class to the ordinary kind of servant, and as a rule always 29 considers the weKare of the hounds before his own comfort or convenience ; it should not be forgotten however, that he is only human, therefore requiring a little pleasure and relaxation apart from his duties. It may be that he will have to rise at four in the morning in midsummer for early exercise, and it is only natural, after a strenuous day, he should desire to get his work done and enjoy a Httle time to himseK. With a master who knows what is required and a huntsman who looks after the interests of the men under him, it is possible to arrange for the staff to get alternate afternoons off. When, as I have already said, the men, after an early beginning, have had a hard day, it is only natural they should want to feed in good time and get finished. Now the best time for feeding in hot weather is about an hour before sundown, and it stands to reason that this would prevent the men getting away unless arrangements were made for half the staff to undertake the duty on alternate days. In most estabUshments there are at least four men, in- cluding the huntsman and feeder, so that it should be possible to arrange. With the food ready, two men would be sufficient to feed, do the few minutes' walk in the grass yard, and clean up. In a pack there are always gross feeders that will be ready to gorge themselves at any hour or in any weather, but the less greedy and the young hounds do not appear to gain their natural appetites in the heat of the day. In getting and keeping hounds in condition, it is of the utmost importance that they should all feed well. Mention has already been made of not allowing the entered hound to lose the muscle he made the previous 80 winter, but the huntsman has also to think of building up muscle on the young entry, many of which may have been reduced to shadows by distemper. A late epidemic of this dread disease will often very seriously handicap a kennel in getting ready for an early autumn campaign against the cubs. A hard morning's cub -hunting is a severe strain on the constitutions of young hounds that have not recovered their strength and which enter quickly. Some take to hunting sooner than others, and it is the huntsman's business to see that these keen youngsters do not overtax their powers. When regular horse exercise begins, it is better to take the pack at a slower pace for a longer period than to hurry them over the same distance for a shorter time. This is where the huntsman and the stud-groom often come to loggerheads. The hound has, and only wants, his one meal a day, whereas the horse with his small stomach requires feeding every four hours, and is all the better if the interval is less. The stud-groom is responsible for the well-being of his charges, and naturally grumbles when they are kept from their mangers for six or seven hours in a day. The horses which are meant to carry the hunt servants in the season may do hound exercise once a week, but the master should provide half a dozen ponies solely for this hard work. The late George Gillson, when huntsman to the Cottesmore, and a first-class kennelman, had an ex- cellent plan which others might well adopt. Starting out early with the pack, he would get back to kennels about eight o'clock, then, when he and his men had breakfasted, they would set off again for a further round on a fresh lot of horses. In this way, hounds 31 had the benefit of long exercise, and the resources of the stable were not imduly strained. Twice a week is enough for long exercise, and fifty miles is not too much wben the pace is slow. In those counties where bridle-roads exist, it is usually possible to keep the hounds on the grass, but a certain amount of exercise on the hard road is good for the feet. It should, however, be remembered that although slow road work hardens the pad, fast work wears it down. A huntsman, in exercising, would do well to make a round of all the distant places where he is likely to be in the season, so that young hounds will acquire a knowledge of the country. At the same time, he can take the opportunity of visiting " walks " to see how the puppies sent out are progressing. In advising long exercise, it should be distinctly understood that the longer the distance it is intended to go, the slower the pace should be. Even when horses are merely walking, hounds will be dropping back, forging ahead, and playing about, so that the distance covered will be as much again. In the last fortnight before cub-hunting begins,. it is a good plan to give the pack several smart spins on the grass, gradually increasing the pace, but always regulating it to the pace of the slowest hound. Unless some fast work is done, the lungs do not get the practice required for the stiff ordeal they will have to undergo later on. There are some masters and huntsmen who look on cub-hunting as a means of getting their packs in condition, and are satisfied to commence with their hounds as fat as bulls. In my humble opinion, a pack ought to be as fit on the day it starts with the 32 cubs as it is supposed to be at Christmas. Backs may be big and broad with no ribs showing, but there should not be an ounce of fat. When you see hounds, after about an hour's work in covert on a hot morning, lie down panting in the rides, you may be quite sure their huntsman has neglected to give them sufficient exercise. The battle between hounds and foxes is always decided in favour of the one that is fittest. The fox is, however, at a disadvantage in hot weather, having a much thicker coat than the hound, and very soon becomes distressed, so that with equal fitness and a moderately good nose, the hound should always score. If a pack started cub-hunting in really hard