together, being matched according to size as nearly as possible. The dog hounds are, of course, the bigger of the two, and run from 23 to 24 inches at the shoulder, the bitches being from one to two inches or so below that standard. One of the smallest pure foxhounds that ever ran with hounds was the Blue Ransom, of the Pytchley, and said to be about 171 inches, whilst the giant of the race, the Warwickshire Riddlesworth, was 27 inches. At the present time our largest packs are the Blackmoor Vale, with 80 couples of hounds; the Duke of Beaufort's, 75 couples; the Belvoir, 62 couples; whilst the Berkeley, Crawley and Horsham, Berks, Fitzwilliam, and Mr. Garth's have each 60 couples of running hounds in kennel. Other packs number anything between the nine couple of the Coniston to the 58 couple of the Oakley.

For a hundred years or more, it has been been, and still remains, though some packs now discountenance it, the custom to round" the ears

of fox hounds, which is neither more nor less than shortening their aural appendages, to prevent the latter getting torn in covert, or in going through or over the fences. This is done at about four months old. Most hound puppies leave the kennels, after being taken from the dam, to be located, "walked " with the farmers and other friends of the hunt.

F

Here they are fed well and wax strong until the time comes round, usually late in the summer, for them to return to the kennels, to be properly entered with the cubs.

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The occasion is utilized for a "show of the puppies." Prizes are awarded, silver tea and coffee pots and such like "useful pieces of furniture dear to the farmer's wives and daughters. A pleasant day is spent; the Master gives a luncheon, and he (( toasts" and is and is "toasted" in return.

The hounds each year drafted to make room for the puppies, are usually the perquisite of the huntsman and they may go to other kennels, or become squandered over distant parts of the universe, where they form a connecting link with "home." Or they may go into the hands of some dealer or other, who finds a ready market for them to an enterprising theatrical manager, who seeks to add to the truthfulness of some country scene, the increased attraction of a "scratch pack." During the past few years, foxhounds have repeatedly appeared on the stage in our leading theatres, where, to the sound of the horn of the "super," and the clash of the orchestra, or the strains of "John Peel," their reception has been such as any debutante might have envied. But a stage hound's life behind the scenes cannot be a happy one, nor are their exercising grounds through

the thronged streets adjoining our great thoroughfares, so healthy as a roll on the grass in the Pytchley pastures.

As to the " rounding" of the ears, Stonehenge writes with great judgment and knowledge. He believes it useful in

Preventing canker either from foul blood or mechanical injury. The sole use of an abnormally large ear, as far as I can see, is to aid the internal organ of hearing, and it is only found in hounds which depend upon co-operation for success-that is to say that hunt in packs. In this kind of hunting, the ear is required to ascertain what is given out by the tongues of the leading hounds, so as to enable the tail of the pack to come up; but whether or no "rounding" diminishes the sensitiveness of the organ of hearing, I am not prepared to say. It is, however, admitted by physiologists, that the external ear aids by the sense of hearing, and as this large folding ear is confined to hounds hunting in packs, which, as above remarked, depend upon hearing or co-operation, it is reasonable to suppose that the hound's large ear is given to him to aid this kind of hunting; and, if so, it is by no means clear that "rounding" is an unmixed good.

Foxhounds on the bench of ordinary dog shows are more a rarity than otherwise, though, whenever they do appear in such an odd position, always prove an attraction. In Yorkshire some attention was given to special exhibitions of foxhounds about twenty-five years ago, but they never appeared to quite take hold of the Tykes, and were allowed to lapse, the last of them being a large gathering that

took place on Knavesmire, in 1877. Following this came the establishment at Peterborough, that is held in June, and it has so grown under its excellent management, that it now must be recognised as one of the institutions of our land. At Peterborough Hound Show, Masters, Huntsmen, and Whips, meet as on a common threshold, and they talk of their prospects, admire the hounds, and criticise the awards in the most friendly spirit imaginable. A day at Peterborough is one that hunting men look forward to as a kind of connecting link between that time when hounds race on a burning scent, and when they are the pets of the household. Almost all the best foxhounds of the day are to be seen at Peterborough Show, and no prospective Master should miss the gathering; few of the present Masters do so.

Already I have mentioned the odd price for which Merkin was sold, but it seems rather strange that whilst comparatively useless dogs of a purely fancy breed occasionally bring from £500 to £1000 apiece, a whole pack of foxhounds may often be purchased for the latter sum, or even for less. There are hounds that a master would not sell at any price, but if he would there could scarcely be the demand for them at such enormous figures as a terrier, a sheep dog, or a St. Bernard will often com

mand. Mr. Corbet bought that crack pack the North Warwickshire for 1500 guineas, but John Ward paid 2000 guineas for the same hounds when they came into his hands. Mr. Osbaldeston knew what he was about when, in 1806, he purchased the Burton for 800 guineas; but when the "Squire's hounds came to be sold at Tattersall's in 1840, they realized 5219 guineas, which may be taken as the best on record for a pack of foxhounds. Against this may be set the modest item of 15 guineas which twenty-one couples of the Haydon hounds brought at auction in 1884. Ten couples of Mr. Osbaldeston's realised 2380 guineas. Then in 1845 Mr. Foljambe's hounds sold for 3600 guineas; Lord Donerail's, in 1859, for 1334 guineas; Mr. Drake's, 2632 guineas; and, in 1838, Ralph Lambton paid Lord Suffield 3000 guineas for his highly-bred hounds. These are, no doubt, the most unusual prices ever made for foxhounds. In 1867 the Wheatland hounds. were sold at Tattersall's in different lots for £750, and yearly at Rugby drafts are sold by auction almost at any price, varying from a sovereign to 10. a couple.

Stonehenge jocularly remarks: "Nose combined with speed and stoutness have always been considered as the essentials for the foxhound, but of late years, owing to enormous fields which have attended