had of course no opportunity of seeing them; but were told that among them was "the Titsey Hind," from the running of which some more than ordinary sport was anticipated. They are all of the red-deer breed. When we took our last look of the hounds as they turned into a field to make a cross-cut to their destination, we regretted deeply that it was out of our power to witness their performance the following morning; for though not a first-rate pack, which as yet cannot be expected, there was somewhat of a look like " going" about them, and the whole turn-out made the spirit of St. Hubert rife within us, and "raised our Ebenezer."

"Ubi plura nitent-non ego paucis
Offendor maculis,"

said we, as we wished Roffey success, and started off in a run, which kept Tollitt's chesnut in a smart trot for above a mile, when a devil of a hill begged leave to remind us we were fresh from the "pays de Cocaigne," and wanted the pipe of a blacksmith's bellows under our fifth rib.

We must not forget to mention that we were informed-probably by a person who is no great friend to him-that " Webb got on but so-so with the fox-hounds." On making further inquiries, we learned that the week preceding that in which we visited the kennels at Farley Green, he had killed his leash of fores, and consequently, being prone to judge men by their actions instead of by report, we came to the just conclusion, that if, in the cold, squally, and uncertain weather we have had all the month, he has been able to account for his fox three days in one week out of four, no fair complaint can be made of him as a huntsTo say the truth, Webb has a good deal to contend against in some respects, as the partisans of Tom Hills, who wish to see him in office again, are numerous in the county, and there is consequently a certain degree of prejudice existing against his successor, which is extremely unfair.

man.

Ere we conclude, we must remark that we hear from Hertfordshire that Mr. Allen is still without a successor in the Old Berkeley Country; and, which is still worse, is likely to remain so, unless Mr. Harvey Combe should again be induced to resume the reins of government. Of this there has been a little talk, and we hope with some share of probability, as he is much liked in the county, has plenty of means at command, and does not use them thriftily; having borne indeed on his own shoulders the whole, or very nearly so, of the expenses attendant on hunting the country. To make up for the loss of Mr. Allen's hounds in some measure, we have been given to understand, that, until a new pack shall be kennelled at Rickmansworth, Mr. Brand's foxhounds will draw a great number of the coverts in the Old Berkeley Country, going for this purpose as far as Lattimers, the seat of Lord Cavendish, situated between Chenies and Chesham in Bucks, and a good twenty miles from their kennel at Harpenden. Of course they will go over-night, and His Lordship finds accommodation for them. The coverts on the London side of the St. Alban's and Rickmansworth road, however, will no longer be drawn, with the exception perhaps of Brickett Wood; and as many of them are very extensive, foxes, pro

vided they be not destroyed, should be plentiful next year. We have heard, however, of a certain "Knight of the yard measure," who last year either planted, or threatened to plant-we believe the former-a number of dog-spears in Ruislip copse, an immense wood near Pinner, thus shewing that poor puggy will find anything but fair-play in that quarter. If this be true, we would ask this person whether he considers an attack of this nature upon a Master of Hounds through the medium of his pack a very courageous way of demonstrating his animosity to fox-hunting! Surely those who draw a forbidden covert are to be blamed, and not the hounds, and punishment to them is but poor spite! Mr. Brand's hounds will hunt four days a-week, and a by as often as possible. SCREWDRIVER.

OLD DOGS AND YOUNG ONES.

I care not

THERE is no comparison between old dogs and young ones. how steady and quick your young dog may be: give me a steady old dog, whether spaniel, setter, or pointer: I would not even except what is called a worn-out dog if the game is plentiful, the covert light, and the scent indifferent-provided that he be not a crippled wretch, past all work, and fit only to linger out his days as an old favorite; for I abhor the thought of hanging, drowning, or shooting a faithful servant. I remember some years ago that I had a very fine young pointer, and got a day's shooting at the Duke of Bedford's at the time, and took him with me, leaving an old bitch at home that had seen thirteen seasons. I had good cause to repent it ere an hour had passed, nor did I bag more than two-thirds of the game which I could have done with old Doll. As soon as we got well amongst the partridges, I saw he was not truly steady bird after bird he ran up, and hare after hare. I own the scent was not good, and that the birds were shy and the hares wild, for the day was a little stormy. Had it been otherwise, I believe he would have acted differently. Then we came to little manoeuvring—that is, we ought to have come to it, when the birds set off running-for the season was somewhat advanced, it being the 23d of November. Here again he was at a loss, and I wanted the old bitch to run her circles round them, and, getting the wind, plant herself between me and the covey like a statue. By and by, as the day drew on, we found several pheasants in the turnips, and here again the advantages of age over youth, experience over the green-horn, was more perceptible. He was quite at a loss on the pheasants' trail. He kept it for thirty yards very well; that is, with a little checking and keeping steady; and then, either giving it up altogether or running in, away went the bird, and no shot. And yet this was a splendid young dog-in his fourth season too, and one that made one of the best in this part of the country.

If this rule prevails with pointers, it will be conceded by every Sportsman that it is still more evident with setters: and among spaniels, I will undertake to say, that a good old dog is equal to three young ones. In nineteen cases out of twenty, your spaniels go too fast, and spring

VOL. XXV.SECOND SERIES.-No. 152.

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the game out of shot. I do not speak of noisy wild spaniels, but of good dogs which hunt to hand and understand their work-such as you can take into a thick stubble or high turnips, and kill partridges with. Even these in a wood, especially a high wood where there is little ground-covert, will spring the pheasant out of distance occasionally. No, there is no dog equal to a sensible, well-seasoned, slow old spaniel. I say sensible, because, making all allowance for the different degrees of instinct in dogs, no dog becomes sensible-his instinct does not serve him-until he has had the experience of several seasons, different coverts, and varied game. I had a spaniel once that I used to shoot snipes to; but it took years to teach him his trade, and I lost some scores of shots in his training. I was young, snipes abounded, and I determined to have a retrieving spaniel perfect at the sport, and I had one. Still it was a waste of time, and it must always be a work of time in dog, man, and horse before either can attain to perfection.

It may be said by some, on reading this paper, "Aye, but if you had had old Doll out at the Duke's, you would have got on no better." I answer, I saw the young dog do ill the same thing which I had seen her do well a hundred times; and I never saw him attempt that which the old one would not have practised with success twenty times in the day. Again, it will be urged by many, "You tell us what we already know, and bring forward acknowledged facts as if you only knew them, and warn us against errors which every man knows and shuns." I am not so sure of that. I have known even men of forty esteem a young dog or a new dog better than an old one: and when I was about three-andtwenty, I fooled away a fine old pointer which had been given to my poor father for a young setter with a splendid stern, fashionable color, bred by an Earl's keeper, and broke by a crack hand. He was a good dog notwithstanding; but then he knew nothing in comparison with poor old Hector. Enough! my object was to tell my tale of experience, to speak a few words in favor of old friends, and I have done it.

One word more: I have a spaniel now, and have had him nine seasons. There is a little spinney in which I am sure of pheasant whenever I beat that lordship, if it is driven the right way from the river; and I have seen the old dog, when we got within reach of it, enter it at the right quarter and beat it as truly and right as if he understood what was wanted: nay more, to test him, I lent him to a friend two or three days, and he did the same thing as regularly as if his own master had been there to make him.

H. J.

IMPERFECT DIGESTION OF CORN.

THE Condition of horses is a subject of such vast importance to all persons who keep them, especially to those who require their most active services, that the smallest thing which tends to effect it becomes worthy of attention.

The frequent complaints which I have heard expressed of horses passing a very considerable portion of their corn imperfectly masticated

and in a crude condition, has led me maturely to consider and investigate the cause. The ceremony of bruising the grain previously to its being offered to the horses has been successfully adopted, and many very useful machines have been invented for the purpose, by which operation, when at home, the difficulty is easily overcome, but in travelling, when the utmost degree of nourishment is of the greatest consequence, the benefit of such machines can rarely be obtained.

The effect of imperfect digestion principally prevails among horses indifferently groomed, especially with such as are frequently entrusted to the care of ostlers at inns, for which I can assign a very ostensible reason. It is a common practice with these functionaries to give a horse his water immediately before they serve the corn. I am perfectly aware that water does not remain in the stomach of the horse any length of time, yet I have no doubt that a portion of it commingles with the food already in the stomach, rendering it very pulpy and soft, by which the power of the gastric juice, the grand agent of digestion, is for a short period weakened in its quality, and therefore less capable of acting upon the grain which is taken into the stomach whilst in such a state; and therefore a great portion of the corn which has escaped the masticating process of the grinders finds its way into the intestines, from which it escapes without affording that nourishment which it ought to do. I have also remarked that horses of a relaxed habit are particularly subject to this failing in their digestive faculties.

At an inn, the owner of a horse usually goes to the stable for the purpose of seeing his horse fed, and generally, immediately upon giving the order, Mr. Ostler, as a matter of course established by custom, presents a plentiful supply of water, when he instantly throws the corn into the manger. This, from want of reflection on the part of the proprietor, is not ninety-nine times out of a hundred ever objected to, and as ostlers are not for the most part over-burdened with brains, it has become a practice in which they do not conceive there is any impropriety: moreover, many persons, desirous of being assured that their horses are watered, require it to be done in their presence.

The proper time for presenting water to horses is after their heads and necks are dressed, and their legs and feet have been washed, but previously to their bodies being brushed over, scrupulously observing that they are quite cool at the time, which, if judiciously ridden or driven during the latter part of their journey or exercise, they will be. It may be necessary to remark, that a horse's coat may not be quite dry although he may be cool. Chilled water should certainly be given if the animal has undergone considerable exertion: in fact, in such cases gruel which has been boiled ought to be substituted. When I am at an inn, unless I have a servant with me to attend to such matters, I invariably go to see my horse watered at the proper time, and visit him again in order to have him fed, unless I feel assured I can suffer that duty to devolve upon the ostler, one which I would as leave delegate to him, being satisfied of his integrity in this respect, as that of giving the

water.

Another remark appears necessary, on the great error which frequently prevails of giving horses a quantity of water in the morning. before they are going to perform their work. If their services are required at any time from nine till one o'clock, they should not be

allowed to drink more than twenty-five or thirty "go-downs:" if after one, they may have rather more, but it should be given early in the morning, say between seven and eight o'clock, at which time they ought to be dressed. Half a dozen "go-downs" the first thing, just to wash their mouths, is in all cases desirable, and invariably given in all wellconducted stables. Attention to these apparently trifling minutia will, I hesitate not to assert, repay every horse-master for his trouble.

Commercial travellers constantly complain, and no doubt from actual experience, that the horses which they employ on their journeys fall off in their condition, and, at the termination of two or three months' route, have deteriorated very considerably in their value, requiring at least a month's rest to recruit their powers. This in a great measure arises from want of due attention. In the first place, they frequently go from home with their horses very defective in their condition-often taking animals from a dealer's stables prepared with simply one dose of physic, occasionally without even that. Dealers, it is well known, supply their horses with considerable quantities of hay and bran-mashes, such soft food with an abundance of carrots in the winter season being calculated to make them look fat and big in their bodies. As a matter of course they give them little or no exercise, let alone work, to prepare them for a journey therefore when the animal is called upon to perform his twenty or twenty-five miles per diem, he commences in a debilitated state, which increases daily. Rejection of food follows as a natural consequence, from not being in a state to bear the exciting effects of a quantity of oats and beans; and this indisposition to eat is augmented by the feverish symptoms which are produced from over-exertion: the poor animal is consequently thrown into a condition bordering upon disease, and quite unequal to the labors required of him.

PHENIX.

RETURNING FROM HUNTING.

Engraved by J. H. ENGLEHEART from a Painting by G. H. LAPORTE.

SUCH a scene as our artist has here depicted is often seen at this season of the year in cross-roads and lanes in merry fox-hunting England.

There is some satisfaction in lighting a cigar, and musing upon the sport we have had during the day, as we return home and are preparing to give an account after dinner of the splendid run we had, and all the accidents by flood and field-of where we found after trying so-and-so blank of the start, and who got away well-of the brook where so many went in-when they went the fastest-of the check that gave a little breathing time, or few could have lived with them-of the line of country taken-and where we killed. This and a great deal more is to be discussed over the port and claret when we get home, whither our Grey will carry us if not hurried, which he has done many a time after a severe run with Sir John Cope's hounds, the Vine, and Mr. Farquharson's. His blood is of the right sort, being got by Skim out of a mare nearly thorough-bred, and he is in every sense of the word a perfect hunter, such as the most fastidious might be proud to call his own.