Foxhounds have very much improved in looks during the past five-and-twenty years, and unquestionably they are quite as good in the field or better.  Whenever hounds have good foxes in front of them, and good huntsmen to assist or watch over them, they are as able as ever, notwithstanding that the drawbacks to good sport are more numerous now than they used to be.  The noble hound will always be good enough, and ever and anon this is shown by a run of the Great Wood order, to hunt over five-and-twenty to thirty miles at a pace to settle all the horses, and yet every hound will be up.  There has been a slight tendency to increase size of late years.  The Belvoir dog-hound is within very little of 24 inches instead of 23-1/2, the standard of twenty years ago, and this increase has become very general.  In elegance of form nothing has been lost, and there can be no other to possess beauty combined with power and the essential points for pace and endurance in the same degree as a Foxhound.

A detailed description of the Foxhound is here given:—­

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HEAD—­Somewhat broad, not peaked like the Bloodhound, but long from the apex to the frontal bones, eyebrows very prominent, cheeks cut clean from the eye to the nostril, ears set low and in their natural condition thin and shapely, but not large, nose large, jaw strong and level, and small dewlaps, expression fierce, and with the best often repellent.  EYES—­Very bright and deeply set, full of determination, and with a very steady expression.  The look of the Foxhound is very remarkable.  NECK—­Should be perfectly clean, no skin ruffle whatever, or neck cloth, as huntsmen call it.  The length of neck is of importance, both for stooping and giving an air of majesty.  SHOULDERS—­The blades should be well into the back, and should slant, otherwise be wide and strong, to meet the arms, that should be long and powerful.  LEGS AND FEET—­The bone should be perfectly straight from the arm downward, and descend in the same degree of size to the ankles, or, as the saying is, “down to his toes.”  The knee should be almost flat and level; there should be no curve until coming to the toes, which should be very strong, round, cat-shaped, and every toe clean set as it were.  FORE-RIBS AND BRISKET—­Deep, fine ribs are very essential, and the brisket should be well below the elbows.  BACK AND LOINS—­Back should be straight.  A hollow back offends the eye much, and a roach back is worse.  The loin wide, back ribs deep and long, a slight prominence over the croup.  QUARTERS AND HOCKS—­The quarters cannot be too long, full, showing a second thigh, and meeting a straight hock low down, the shank bone short, and meeting shapely feet.  COAT—­The coat is hard hair, but short and smooth, the texture is as stiff as bristles, but beautifully laid.  COLOUR—­Belvoir tan, which is brown and black, perfectly intermixed, with white markings of various shapes and sizes.  The white should be very opaque and clear.  Black and white, with tan markings on head and stifles.  Badger pied—­a kind of grey and white.  Lemon pied, light yellow and white.  Hare pied, a darker yellow and white.  STERN—­Long and carried gaily, but not curled; often half white.  HEIGHT—­Dogs from 23-1/2 to 24 inches; bitches from 22 to 22-1/2 inches.