CHAPTER XV

THE IRISH WOLFHOUND

It is now some thirty years since an important controversy was carried on in the columns of The Live Stock Journal on the nature and history of the great Irish Wolfhound. The chief disputants in the discussion were Captain G. A. Graham, of Dursley, Mr. G. W. Hickman, Mr. F. Adcock, and the Rev. M. B. Wynn, and the main point as issue was whether the dog then imperfectly known as the Irish Wolfdog was a true descendant of the ancient Canis graius Hibernicus, or whether it was a mere manufactured mongrel, owing its origin to an admixture of the Great Dane and the dog of the Pyrenees, modified and brought to type by a cross with the Highland Deerhound. It was not doubted—indeed, history and tradition clearly attested—that there had existed in early times in Ireland a very large and rugged hound of Greyhound form, whose vocation it was to hunt the wolf, the red deer, and the fox. It was assuredly known to the Romans, and there can be little doubt that the huge dog Samr, which Jarl Gunnar got from the Irish king Myrkiarton in the tenth century and took back with him to Norway, was one of this breed. But it was supposed by many to have become extinct soon after the disappearance of the last wolf in Ireland, and it was the endeavour of Captain Graham to demonstrate that specimens, although admittedly degenerate, were still to be found, and that they were capable of being restored to a semblance of the original type.

At the time when he entered into the controversy, Captain Graham had been actively interesting himself for something like a score of years in the resuscitation of the breed, and his patience had been well rewarded. By the year 1881 the Irish Wolfhound had been practically restored, although it has taken close upon a quarter of a century to produce the magnificent champions Cotswold and Cotswold Patricia, those brilliant examples of the modern breed—a brace of Wolfhounds who bear testimony to the vast amount of energy and perseverance which Captain Graham and his enthusiastic colleague Major Garnier displayed in evolving from rough material the majestic breed that holds so prominent a position to-day.

There is little to be gathered from ancient writings concerning the size and appearance of the Irish Wolfhounds in early times. Exaggerated figures are given as to height and weight; but all authorities agree that they were impressively large and imposing dogs, and that they were regarded as the giants of the canine race.

It seems extraordinary that so little should have been accurately known and recorded of a dog which at one time must have been a familiar figure in the halls of the Irish kings. It was no mere mythical animal like the heraldic griffin, but an actual sporting dog which was accepted as a national emblem of the Emerald Isle, associated with the harp and the shamrock.

As regards the origin of the Irish Wolfhound, more than one theory is advanced. By some authorities it is suggested that it was the dog which we now know as the Great Dane. Others hold that as there were rough-coated Greyhounds in Ireland, it is this dog, under another name, which is now accepted. But probably the late Captain Graham was nearer the truth when he gave the opinion that the Irish hound that was kept to hunt wolves has never become extinct at all, but is now represented in the Scottish Deerhound, only altered a little in size and strength to suit the easier work required of it—that of hunting the deer. This is the more probable, as the fact remains that the chief factor in the resuscitation of the Irish Wolfhound has been the Scottish Deerhound.

The result of Captain Graham's investigations when seeking for animals bearing some relationship to the original Irish "Wolfe Dogge" was that three strains were to be found in Ireland, but none of the representatives at that time was anything like so large as those mentioned in early writings, and they all appeared to have deteriorated in bone and substance. Sir J. Power, of Kilfane, was responsible for one line, Mr. Baker, of Ballytobin, for another, and Mr. Mahoney, of Dromore, for the remaining strain. From bitches obtained from two of these kennels, Captain Graham, by crossing them with the Great Dane and Scottish Deerhound, achieved the first step towards producing the animal that he desired. Later on the Russian Wolfhound, better known as the Borzoi, an exceedingly large hound, was introduced, as also were one or two other large breeds of dogs.

The intermixture of these canine giants, however, was not at first very satisfactory, as although plenty of bone was obtained, many were most ungainly in appearance and ill-shaped animals that had very little about them to attract attention. Captain Graham, however, stuck to his work, and very soon the specimens that he brought forward began to show a fixity of type both in head and in general outline. Brian was one of his best dogs, but he was not very large, as he only stood just over thirty inches at the shoulder. Banshee and Fintragh were others, but probably the best of Captain Graham's kennel was the bitch Sheelah. It was not, however, until towards the end of the last century that the most perfect dogs were bred. These included O'Leary, the property of Mr. Crisp, of Playford Hall. O'Leary is responsible for many of the best dogs of the present day, and was the sire of Mrs. Percy Shewell's Ch. Cotswold, who is undoubtedly the grandest Irish Wolfhound ever bred. In height Cotswold stands 34-1/2 inches and is therefore perhaps the largest dog of any breed now alive.

In 1900 Mr. Crisp bred Kilcullen from O'Leary, this dog winning the championship at the Kennel Club Show at the Crystal Palace in 1902 under Captain Graham. This was the year the Irish Wolfhound Club presented the hound Rajah of Kidnal as a regimental pet to the newly formed Irish Guards.

Rajah of Kidnal, who was bred and exhibited by Mrs. A. Gerard, of Malpas, was the selection of Captain Graham and two other judges. This dog, which has been renamed Brian Boru, is still hearty and well, and was at his post on St. Patrick's Day, 1909, when the shamrock that had been sent by Her Majesty Queen Alexandra was handed to the men.

Mrs. Gerard owned one of the largest kennels of Irish Wolfhounds in England, and amongst her many good dogs and bitches was Cheevra, who was a wonderful brood bitch, and included amongst her stock were several that worked their way up to championship honours; she was the dam of Rajah of Kidnal.

Besides Ballyhooley, Mr. W. Williams owned a good dog in Finn by Brian II. Finn produced Miss Packe's Wickham Lavengro, a black and tan dog that has won several prizes. Some judges are opposed to giving prizes to Irish Wolfhounds of this colour, but Captain Graham did not object to it. Finn was a very heavy dog, and weighed 148 lbs.

A hound that has been of great benefit to the breed in Ireland is Ch. Marquis of Donegal, the property of Mr. Martin.

Amongst the bitches that have been instrumental in building up the breed to its present high state of excellence is Princess Patricia of Connaught who is by Dermot Astore out of Cheevra, and is the dam of Ch. Cotswold Patricia. She is one of the tallest of her race, her height being 33 inches; another bitch that measures the same number of inches at the shoulder being Dr. Pitts-Tucker's Juno of the Fen, a daughter of Ch. Wargrave.

Mr. Everett, of Felixstowe, is now one of the most successful breeders. He exhibited at the 1908 Kennel Club show a most promising young dog in Felixstowe Kilronan, with which he was second to Mrs. Shewell's Ch. Cotswold, of whom he is now kennel companion. At the same show Miss Clifford, of Ryde, exhibited a good hound in Wildcroft, another of Dermot Astore's sons, and other supporters of the breed are Lady Kathleen Pilkington, Mr. T. Hamilton Adams, Mr. G. H. Thurston, Mr. Bailey, Mrs. F. Marshall, Mr. J. L. T. Dobbin, and Miss Ethel McCheane.

The following is the description of the variety as drawn up by the Club:—

* * * * *

GENERAL APPEARANCE—The Irish Wolfhound should not be quite so heavy or massive as the Great Dane, but more so than the Deerhound, which in general type he should otherwise resemble. Of great size and commanding appearance, very muscular, strongly though gracefully built; movements easy and active; head and neck carried high; the tail carried with an upward sweep, with a slight curve towards the extremity. The minimum height and weight of dogs should be 31 inches and 120 pounds, of bitches 28 inches and 90 pounds. Anything below this should be debarred from competition. Great size, including height at shoulder and proportionate length of body, is the desideratum to be aimed at, and it is desired firmly to establish a race that shall average from 32 inches to 34 inches in dogs, showing the requisite power, activity, courage, and symmetry. HEAD—Long, the frontal bones of the forehead very slightly raised and very little indentation between the eyes. Skull not too broad; muzzle long and moderately pointed; ears small and Greyhound-like in carriage. NECK—Rather long, very strong and muscular, well arched, without dewlap and loose skin about the throat. CHEST—Very deep, breast wide. BACK—Rather long than short. Loins arched. TAIL—Long and slightly curved, of moderate thickness, and well covered with hair. BELLY—Well drawn up. FORE-QUARTERS—Shoulders muscular, giving breadth of chest, set sloping, elbows well under, neither turned inwards nor outwards. Leg—Forearm muscular and the whole leg strong and quite straight. HIND-QUARTERS—Muscular thighs, and second thigh long and strong as in the Greyhound, and hocks well let down and turning neither in nor out. FEET—Moderately large and round, neither turned inwards nor outwards; toes well arched and closed, nails very strong and curved. HAIR—Rough and hard on body, legs, and head; especially wiry and long over eyes and under jaw. COLOUR AND MARKINGS—The recognised colours are grey, brindle, red, black, pure white, fawn, or any colour that appears in the Deerhound. FAULTS—Too light or heavy in head, too highly arched frontal bone, large ears and hanging flat to the face; short neck; full dewlap; too narrow or too broad a chest; sunken and hollow or quite level back; bent fore-legs; over-bent fetlocks; twisted feet; spreading toes; too curly a tail; weak hind-quarters, cow hocks, and a general want of muscle; too short in body.



CHAPTER XVI

THE DEERHOUND

The Deerhound is one of the most decorative of dogs, impressively stately and picturesque wherever he is seen, whether it be amid the surroundings of the baronial hall, reclining at luxurious length before the open hearth in the fitful light of the log fire that flickers on polished armour and tarnished tapestry; out in the open, straining at the leash as he scents the dewy air, or gracefully bounding over the purple of his native hills. Grace and majesty are in his every movement and attitude, and even to the most prosaic mind there is about him the inseparable glamour of feudal romance and poetry. He is at his best alert in the excitement of the chase; but all too rare now is the inspiring sight that once was common among the mountains of Morven and the glens of Argyll of the deep-voiced hound speeding in pursuit of his antlered prey, racing him at full stretch along the mountain's ridge, or baying him at last in the fastness of darksome corrie or deep ravine. Gone are the good romantic days of stalking beloved by Scrope. The Highlands have lost their loneliness, and the inventions of the modern gunsmith have robbed one of the grandest of hunting dogs of his glory, relegating him to the life of a pedestrian pet, whose highest dignity is the winning of a pecuniary prize under Kennel Club rules.

Historians of the Deerhound associate him with the original Irish Wolfdog, of whom he is obviously a close relative, and it is sure that when the wolf still lingered in the land it was the frequent quarry of the Highland as of the Hibernian hound. Legend has it that Prince Ossian, son of Fingal, King of Morven, hunted the wolf with the grey, long-bounding dogs. "Swift-footed Luath" and "White-breasted Bran" are among the names of Ossian's hounds. I am disposed to affirm that the old Irish Wolfhound and the Highland Deerhound are not only intimately allied in form and nature, but that they are two strains of an identical breed, altered only in size by circumstance and environment.

Whatever the source of the Highland Deerhound, and at whatever period it became distinct from its now larger Irish relative, it was recognised as a native dog in Scotland in very early times, and it was distinguished as being superior in strength and beauty to the hounds of the Picts.

From remote days the Scottish nobles cherished their strains of Deerhound, seeking glorious sport in the Highland forests. The red deer belonged by inexorable law to the kings of Scotland, and great drives, which often lasted for several days, were made to round up the herds into given neighbourhoods for the pleasure of the court, as in the reign of Queen Mary. But the organised coursing of deer by courtiers ceased during the Stuart troubles, and was left in the hands of retainers, who thus replenished their chief's larder.

The revival of deerstalking dates back hardly further than a hundred years. It reached its greatest popularity in the Highlands at the time when the late Queen and Prince Albert were in residence at Balmoral. Solomon, Hector, and Bran were among the Balmoral hounds. Bran was an especially fine animal—one of the best of his time, standing over thirty inches in height.

Two historic feats of strength and endurance illustrate the tenacity of the Deerhound at work. A brace of half-bred dogs, named Percy and Douglas, the property of Mr. Scrope, kept a stag at bay from Saturday night to Monday morning; and the pure bred Bran by himself pulled down two unwounded stags, one carrying ten and the other eleven tines. These, of course, are record performances, but they demonstrate the possibilities of the Deerhound when trained to his natural sport.



Driving was commonly resorted to in the extensive forests, but nowadays when forests are sub-divided into limited shootings the deer are seldom moved from their home preserves, whilst with the use of improved telescopes and the small-bore rifle, stalking has gone out of fashion. With guns having a muzzle velocity of 2,500 feet per second, it is no longer necessary for sportsmen stealthily to stalk their game to come within easy range, and as for hounds, they have become a doubtful appendage to the chase.

Primarily and essentially the Deerhound belongs to the order Agaseus, hunting by sight and not by scent, and although he may indeed occasionally put his nose to the ground, yet his powers of scent are not remarkable. His vocation, therefore, has undergone a change, and it was recently ascertained that of sixty deer forests there were only six upon which Deerhounds were kept for sporting purposes.

Happily the Deerhound has suffered no decline in the favour bestowed upon him for his own sake. The contrary is rather the case, and he is still an aristocrat among dogs, valued for his good looks, the symmetry of his form, his grace and elegance, and even more so for his faithful and affectionate nature. Sir Walter Scott declared that he was "a most perfect creature of heaven," and when one sees him represented in so beautiful a specimen of his noble race as St. Ronan's Rhyme, for example, or Talisman, or Ayrshire, one is tempted to echo this high praise.

Seven-and-twenty years ago Captain Graham drew up a list of the most notable dogs of the last century. Among these were Sir St. George Gore's Gruim (1843-44), Black Bran (1850-51); the Marquis of Breadalbane's King of the Forest, said to stand 33 inches high; Mr. Beaseley's Alder (1863-67), bred by Sir John McNeill of Colonsay; Mr. Donald Cameron's Torrum (1869), and his two sons Monzie and Young Torrum; and Mr. Dadley's Hector, who was probably the best-bred dog living in the early eighties. Torrum, however, appears to have been the most successful of these dogs at stud. He was an exceedingly grand specimen of his race, strong framed, with plenty of hair of a blue brindle colour. Captain Graham's own dog Keildar, who had been trained for deerstalking in Windsor Park, was perhaps one of the most elegant and aristocratic-looking Deerhounds ever seen. His full height was 30 inches, girth 33-1/2 inches, and weight, 95 lbs., his colour bluish fawn, slightly brindled, the muzzle and ears being blue. His nearest competitor for perfection was, after Hector, probably Mr. Hood Wright's Bevis, a darkish red brown brindle of about 29 inches. Mr. Wright was the breeder of Champion Selwood Morven, who was the celebrity of his race about 1897, and who became the property of Mr. Harry Rawson. This stately dog was a dark heather brindle, standing 32-3/8 inches at the shoulder, with a chest girth of 34-1/2 inches.

A few years ago breeders were inclined to mar the beauty of the Deerhound by a too anxious endeavour to obtain great size rather than to preserve the genuine type; but this error has been sufficiently corrected, with the result that symmetry and elegance conjoined with the desired attributes of speed are not sacrificed. The qualities aimed at now are a height of something less than 30 inches, and a weight not greater than 105 lbs., with straight fore-legs and short, cat-like feet, a deep chest, with broad, powerful loins, slightly arched, and strength of hind-quarters, with well-bent stifles, and the hocks well let down. Straight stifles are objectionable, giving a stilty appearance. Thick shoulders are equally a blemish to be avoided, as also a too great heaviness of bone. The following is the accepted standard of merit.

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HEAD—The head should be broadest at the ears, tapering slightly to the eyes, with the muzzle tapering more decidedly to the nose. The muzzle should be pointed, but the teeth and lips level. The head should be long, the skull flat rather than round, with a very slight rise over the eyes, but with nothing approaching a stop. The skull should be coated with moderately long hair which is softer than the rest of the coat. The nose should be black (though in some blue-fawns the colour is blue) and slightly aquiline. In the lighter-coloured dogs a black muzzle is preferred. There should be a good moustache of rather silky hair, and a fair beard. EARS—The ears should be set on high, and, in repose, folded back like the Greyhound's, though raised above the head in excitement without losing the fold, and even, in some cases, semi-erect. A prick ear is bad. A big, thick ear, hanging flat to the head, or heavily coated with long hair, is the worst of faults. The ear should be soft, glossy, and like a mouse's coat to the touch, and the smaller it is the better. It should have no long coat or long fringe, but there is often a silky, silvery coat on the body of the ear and the tip. Whatever the general colour, the ears should be black or dark-coloured. NECK AND SHOULDERS—The neck should be long—that is, of the length that befits the Greyhound character of the dog. An over-long neck is not necessary, nor desirable, for the dog is not required to stoop in his work like a Greyhound, and it must be remembered that the mane, which every good specimen should have, detracts from the apparent length of neck. Moreover, a Deerhound requires a very strong neck to hold a stag. The nape of the neck should be very prominent where the head is set on, and the throat should be clean-cut at the angle and prominent. The shoulders should be well sloped, the blades well back, with not too much width between them. Loaded and straight shoulders are very bad faults. STERN—Stern should be tolerably long, tapering, and reaching to within 1-1/2 inches of the ground, and about 1-1/2 inches below the hocks. When the dog is still, dropped perfectly straight down, or curved. When in motion it should be curved when excited, in no case to be lifted out of the line of the back. It should be well covered with hair, on the inside thick and wiry, underside longer, and towards the end a slight fringe is not objectionable. A curl or ring tail is very undesirable. EYES—The eyes should be dark: generally they are dark brown or hazel. A very light eye is not liked. The eye is moderately full with a soft look in repose, but a keen, far-away gaze when the dog is roused. The rims of the eyelids should be black. BODY—The body and general formation is that of a Greyhound of larger size and bone. Chest deep rather than broad, but not too narrow and flat-sided. The loin well arched and drooping to the tail. A straight back is not desirable, this formation being unsuitable for going uphill, and very unsightly. LEGS AND FEET—The legs should be broad and flat, a good broad forearm and elbow being desirable. Fore-legs, of course, as straight as possible. Feet close and compact, with well-arched toes. The hind-quarters drooping, and as broad and powerful as possible, the hips being set wide apart. The hind-legs should be well bent at the stifle, with great length from the hip to the hock, which should be broad and flat. Cow hocks, weak pasterns, straight stifles, and splay feet are very bad faults. COAT—The hair on the body, neck, and quarters should be harsh and wiry, and about 3 inches or 4 inches long; that on the head, breast, and belly is much softer. There should be a slight hairy fringe on the inside of the fore and hind-legs, but nothing approaching to the feathering of a Collie. The Deerhound should be a shaggy dog, but not over coated. A woolly coat is bad. Some good strains have a slight mixture of silky coat with the hard, which is preferable to a woolly coat, but the proper covering is a thick, close-lying, ragged coat, harsh or crisp to the touch. COLOUR—Colour is much a matter of fancy. But there is no manner of doubt that the dark blue-grey is the most preferred. Next come the darker and lighter greys or brindles, the darkest being generally preferred. Yellow and sandy-red or red-fawn, especially with black points—i.e., ears and muzzle—are also in equal estimation, this being the colour of the oldest known strains, the McNeil and the Chesthill Menzies. White is condemned by all the old authorities, but a white chest and white toes, occurring as they do in a great many of the darkest-coloured dogs, are not so greatly objected to, but the less the better, as the Deerhound is a self-coloured dog. A white blaze on the head or a white collar should entirely disqualify. In other cases, though passable, an attempt should be made to get rid of white markings. The less white the better, but a slight white tip to the stern occurs in the best strains. HEIGHT OF DOGS—From 28 inches to 30 inches, or even more if there be symmetry without coarseness, which, however, is rare. HEIGHT OF BITCHES—From 26 inches upwards. There can be no objection to a bitch being large, unless she is too coarse, as even at her greatest height she does not approach that of the dog, and, therefore, could not well be too big for work, as over-big dogs are. Besides, a big bitch is good for breeding and keeping up the size. WEIGHT—From 85 pounds to 105 pounds in dogs; from 65 pounds to 80 pounds in bitches.

* * * * *

Among the more prominent owners of Deerhounds at the present time are Mrs. H. Armstrong, Mrs. W. C. Grew, Mrs. Janvrin Dickson, Miss A. Doxford, Mr. Harry Rawson, and Mr. H. McLauchin. Mrs. Armstrong is the breeder of two beautiful dog hounds in Talisman and Laird of Abbotsford, and of two typically good bitches in Fair Maid of Perth and Bride of Lammermoor. Mrs. Grew owns many admirable specimens, among them being Blair Athol, Ayrshire, Kenilworth, and Ferraline. Her Ayrshire is considered by some judges to be the most perfect Deerhound exhibited for some time past. He is somewhat large, perhaps, but he is throughout a hound of excellent quality and character, having a most typical head, with lovely eyes and expression, perfect front, feet and hind-quarters. Other judges would give the palm to Mr. Harry Rawson's St. Ronan's Ranger, who is certainly difficult to excel in all the characteristics most desirable in the breed.



CHAPTER XVII

THE BORZOI OR RUSSIAN WOLFHOUND

Of the many foreign varieties of the dog that have been introduced into this country within recent years, there is not one among the larger breeds that has made greater headway in the public favour than the Borzoi, or Russian Wolfhound. Nor is this to be wondered at. The most graceful and elegant of all breeds, combining symmetry with strength, the wearer of a lovely silky coat that a toy dog might envy, the length of head, possessed by no other breed—all go to make the Borzoi the favourite he has become.

He is essentially what our American cousins would call a "spectacular" dog. Given, for example, the best team of terriers and a fifth-rate team of Borzois, which attracts the more attention and admiration from the man in the street? Which does he turn again to look at? Not the terriers! Add to this that the Borzoi makes a capital house dog, is, as a rule, affectionate and a good companion, it is not to be wondered at that he has attained the dignified position in the canine world which he now holds.

In his native country the Borzoi is employed, as his English name implies, in hunting the wolf and also smaller game, including foxes and hares.

Several methods of hunting the larger game are adopted, one form being as follows. Wolves being reported to be present in the neighbourhood, the hunters set out on horseback, each holding in his left hand a leash of three Borzois, as nearly matched as possible in size, speed, and colour. Arrived at the scene of action, the chief huntsman stations the hunters at separate points every hundred yards or so round the wood. A pack of hounds is sent in to draw the quarry, and on the wolves breaking cover the nearest hunter slips his dogs. These endeavour to seize their prey by the neck, where they hold him until the hunter arrives, throws himself from his horse, and with his knife puts an end to the fray.

Another method is to advance across the open country at intervals of about two hundred yards, slipping the dogs at any game they may put up.

Trials are also held in Russia. These take place in a large railed enclosure, the wolves being brought in carts similar to our deer carts. In this case a brace of dogs is loosed on the wolf. The whole merit of the course is when the hounds can overtake the wolf and pin him to the ground, so that the keepers can secure him alive. It follows, therefore, that in this case also the hounds must be of equal speed, so that they reach the wolf simultaneously; one dog would, of course, be unable to hold him.

Naturally, the dogs have to be trained to the work, for which purpose the best wolves are taken alive and sent to the kennels, where the young dogs are taught to pin him in such a manner that he cannot turn and use his teeth. There seems to be no reason why the Borzoi should not be used for coursing in this country.

One of the first examples of the breed exhibited in England was owned by Messrs. Hill and Ashton, of Sheffield, about 1880, at which time good specimens were imported by the Rev. J. C. Macdona and Lady Emily Peel, whose Sandringham and Czar excited general admiration. It was then known as the Siberian Wolfhound. Some years later the Duchess of Newcastle obtained several fine dogs, and from this stock Her Grace founded the kennel which has since become so famous. Later still, Queen Alexandra received from the Czar a gift of a leash of these stately hounds, one of them being Alex, who quickly achieved honours as a champion.

The breed has become as fashionable in the United States as in Great Britain, and some excellent specimens are to be seen at the annual shows at Madison Square Gardens.

To take the points of the breed in detail, the description of the perfect Borzoi is as follows:—

* * * * *

HEAD—This should be long, lean, and well balanced, and the length, from the tip of the nose to the eyes, must be the same as from the eyes to the occiput. A dog may have a long head, but the length may be all in front of the eyes. The heads of this breed have greatly improved the last few years; fewer "apple-headed" specimens, and more of the desired triangular heads being seen. The skull should be flat and narrow, the stop not perceptible, the muzzle long and tapering. Too much stress cannot be laid on the importance of the head being well filled up before the eyes. The head, from forehead to nose, should be so fine that the direction of the bones and principal veins can be seen clearly, and in profile should appear rather Roman nosed. Bitches should be even narrower in head than dogs. THE EYES should be dark, expressive, almond shaped, and not too far apart. THE EARS like those of a Greyhound, small, thin, and placed well back on the head, with the tips, when thrown back, almost touching behind the occiput. It is not a fault if the dog can raise his ears erect when excited or looking after game, although some English judges dislike this frequent characteristic. The head should be carried somewhat low, with the neck continuing the line of the back. SHOULDERS—Clean and sloping well back, i.e., the shoulder blades should almost touch one another. CHEST—Deep and somewhat narrow. It must be capacious, but the capacity must be got from depth, and not from "barrel" ribs—a bad fault in a running hound. BACK—Rather bony, and free from any cavity in the spinal column, the arch in the back being more marked in the dog than in the bitch. LOINS—Broad and very powerful, showing plenty of muscular development. THIGHS—Long and well developed, with good second thigh. The muscle in the Borzoi is longer than in the Greyhound. RIBS—Slightly sprung, very deep, reaching to the elbow. FORE-LEGS—Lean and straight. Seen from the front they should be narrow and from the side broad at the shoulder and narrowing gradually down to the foot, the bone appearing flat and not round as in the Foxhound. HIND-LEGS—The least thing under the body when standing still, not straight, and the stifle slightly bent. They should, of course, be straight as regards each other, and not "cow-hocked," but straight hind-legs imply a want of speed. FEET—Like those of the Deerhound, rather long. The toes close together and well arched. COAT—Long, silky, not woolly; either flat, wavy, or curly. On the head, ears and front-legs it should be short and smooth; on the neck the frill should be profuse and rather curly; on the chest and the rest of the body, the tail and hind-quarters, it should be long; the fore-legs being well feathered. TAIL—Long, well feathered, and not gaily carried. It should be carried well down, almost touching the ground. HEIGHT—Dogs from 29 inches upwards at shoulder, bitches from 27 inches upwards. (Originally 27 inches and 26 inches. Altered at a general meeting of the Borzoi Club, held February, 1906.) FAULTS—Head short and thick; too much stop; parti-coloured nose; eyes too wide apart; heavy ears; heavy shoulders; wide chest; "barrel" ribbed; dew-claws; elbows turned out; wide behind. Also light eyes and over or undershot jaws. COLOUR—The Club standard makes no mention of colour. White, of course, should predominate; fawn, lemon, orange, brindle, blue, slate and black markings are met with. Too much of the latter, or black and tan markings, are disliked. Whole coloured dogs are also seen.

* * * * *

The foregoing description embodies the standard of points as laid down and adopted by the Borzoi Club, interpolated with some remarks for the further guidance of the novice.

The Borzoi Club was founded in 1892, and now consists of about fifty members, with the Duke and Duchess of Newcastle as joint-presidents. It does much good work for the breed, guaranteeing classes at shows, where otherwise few or none would be given, encouraging the breeding of high-class Borzois by offering its valuable challenge cups and other special prizes, and generally looking after the interests of the breed.

Although the Club standard of height has been raised from 27 and 26 inches to 29 and 27 inches for dogs and bitches respectively, it must be borne in mind that the best dogs of to-day far exceed these measurements, and, unless exceptionally good in other points, a dog of 29 inches at shoulder would stand little or no chance in the showing under the majority of English judges; indeed, bitches of 29 to 30 inches are by no means uncommon.

Not many of us can afford to start at the top of the tree, and, except for the favoured few to whom money is no object, and who can buy ready-made champions, there is no better way of starting a kennel than to purchase a really good bitch, one, say, capable of winning at all but the more important shows. She must be of good pedigree, strong, and healthy; such an one ought to be obtained for P15 upwards. Mate her to the best dog whose blood "nicks" suitably with hers, but do not waste time and money breeding from fourth-rate stud dogs, for if you do it is certain you will only meet with disappointment. On the other hand, if you have had little or no experience of dogs, you may possibly prefer to start with a puppy. If so, place yourself in the hands of a breeder with a reputation at stake (unless you have a friend who understands the breed). It is a fact that even a "cast off" from a good strain that has been bred for certain points for years is more likely to turn out a better dog than a pup whose dam has been mated "haphazard" to some dog who may or may not have been a good one. Big kennels also generally possess the best bitches and breed from them, and the bitch is quite as important a factor as the sire. If, however, you prefer to rely on your own judgment, and wish to choose a puppy yourself from a litter, select the one with the longest head, biggest bone, smallest ears, and longest tail, or as many of these qualities as you can find combined in one individual. Coat is a secondary matter in quite a young pup; here one should be guided by the coat of the sire and dam. Still, choose a pup with a heavy coat, if possible, although when this puppy coat is cast, the dog may not grow so good as one as some of the litter who in early life were smoother.

As regards size, a Borzoi pup of three months should measure about 19 inches at the shoulder, at six months about 25 inches, and at nine months from 27 to 29 inches. After ten or twelve months, growth is very slow, although some continue adding to their height until they are a year and a half old. They will, of course, increase in girth of chest and develop muscle until two years old; a Borzoi may be considered in its prime at from three to four years of age. As regards price, from P5 to P10 is not too much to pay for a really good pup of about eight to ten weeks old; if you pay less you will probably get only a second-rate one. Having purchased your puppy, there are three principal items to be considered if you intend to rear him well; firstly, his diet must be varied; secondly, the pup must have unlimited exercise, and never be kept on the chain; thirdly, internal parasites must be kept in check. For young puppies "Ruby" Worm Cure is most efficacious, and does not distress the patient.

Food should be given at regular intervals—not less frequently than five times a day to newly weaned puppies—and may consist of porridge, bread and milk, raw meat minced fine, and any table scraps, with plenty of new milk. Well-boiled paunch is also greatly appreciated, and, being easily digested, may be given freely.

One important part of the puppy's education that must by no means be neglected is to accustom him to go on the collar and lead. Borzoi pups are, as a rule extremely nervous, and it requires great patience in some cases to train them to the lead. Short lessons should be given when about four months old. If you can induce the puppy to think it is a new game, well and good—he will take to it naturally; but once he looks upon it as something to be dreaded, it means hours of patient work to break him in.

If you decide on commencing with a brood bitch, see that she is dosed for worms before visiting the dog; that she is in good hard condition—not fat, however; and, if possible, accompany her yourself and see her mated. For the first week rather less than her usual quantity of food should be given; afterwards feed as her appetite dictates, but do not let her get too fat, or she may have a bad time when whelping. For two days before the puppies are due give sloppy but nourishing diet, and this should be continued, given slightly warm, for four or five days after the pups are born. Borzois as a rule make excellent mothers, but to rear them well they should not be allowed to suckle more than five—or, if a strong, big bitch, six—pups. If the litter is larger, it is better to destroy the remainder, or use a foster mother.



Whatever they may be in their native land—and the first imported specimens were perhaps rather uncertain in temper—the Borzoi, as we know him in this country, is affectionate, devoted to his owner, friendly with his kennel companions and makes a capital house dog. As a lady's companion he is hard to beat; indeed, a glance at any show catalogue will prove that the majority of Borzois are owned by the gentle sex. No one need be deterred from keeping a Borzoi by a remark the writer has heard hundreds of times at shows: "Those dogs are so delicate." This is not the case. Once over distemper troubles—and the breed certainly does suffer badly if it contracts the disease—the Borzoi is as hardy as most breeds, if not hardier. Given a good dry kennel and plenty of straw, no weather is too cold for them. Damp, of course, must be avoided, but this applies equally to other breeds.

The adult hound, like the puppy, should never be kept on chain; a kennel with a railed-in run should be provided, or a loose box makes a capital place for those kept out of doors, otherwise no different treatment is required from that of other large breeds.



CHAPTER XVIII

THE GREYHOUND

The Greyhound is the oldest and most conservative of all dogs, and his type has altered singularly little during the seven thousand years in which he is known to have been cherished for his speed, and kept by men for running down the gazelle or coursing the hare. The earliest references to him are far back in the primitive ages, long before he was beautifully depicted by Assyrian artists, straining at the leash or racing after his prey across the desert sands. The Egyptians loved him and appreciated him centuries before the pyramids were built. In those days he wore a feathered tail, and his ears were heavy with a silken fringe of hair. His type was that of the modern Arabian Slughi, who is the direct and unaltered descendant of the ancient hound. The glorious King Solomon referred to him (Proverbs xxx. 31) as being one of the four things which "go well and are comely in going—a lion, which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away from any; a Greyhound; an he goat also; and a king against whom there is no rising up."

That the Greyhound is "comely in going," as well as in repose, was recognised very early by the Greeks, whose artists were fond of introducing this graceful animal as an ornament in their decorative workmanship. In their metal work, their carvings in ivory and stone, and more particularly as parts in the designs on their terra-cotta oil bottles, wine coolers, and other vases, the Greyhound is frequently to be seen, sometimes following the hare, and always in remarkably characteristic attitudes. Usually these Greek Greyhounds are represented with prick ears, but occasionally the true rose ear is shown.

All writings in connection with Greyhounds point to the high estimation in which the dog has always been held. Dr. Caius, when referring to the name, says "The Greyhound hath his name of this word gre; which word soundeth gradus in Latin, in Englishe degree, because among all dogges these are the most principall, occupying the chiefest place, and being simply and absolutely the best of the gentle kinde of Houndes."

It was not until the reign of Queen Elizabeth that coursing in England was conducted under established rules. These were drawn up by the then Duke of Norfolk. The sport quickly grew in favour, and continued to increase in popularity until the first coursing club was established at Swaffham in 1776. Then in 1780 the Ashdown Park Meeting came into existence. The Newmarket Meeting in 1805 was the next fixture that was inaugurated, and this now remains with the champion stakes as its most important event. Afterwards came the Amesbury Meeting in 1822, but Amesbury, like Ashdown, although for many years one of the most celebrated institutions of the description, has fallen from its high estate. Three years later came the Altcar Club. But it was not until eleven years after this period that the Waterloo Cup was instituted (in 1836), to win which is the highest ambition of followers of the leash.

At the present time the run for the Waterloo Cup, which at the commencement was an eight dog stake, is composed of sixty-four nominations, the entry fee for which is P25. The winner takes P500, and the cup, value P100, presented by the Earl of Sefton, the runner up P200, the third and fourth P50 each, four dogs P36 each, eight dogs P20 each, and sixteen dogs P10 each. The thirty-two dogs beaten in the first round of the Cup compete for the Waterloo Purse, value P215, and the sixteen dogs run out in the second round for the Waterloo Plate, value P145. The winner in each case taking P75, and the runner up P30, the remainder being divided amongst the most forward runners in the respective stakes. The Waterloo Cup holds the same position in coursing circles as the Derby does in horse racing.

The National Coursing Club was established in 1858, when a stud book was commenced, and a code of laws drawn up for the regulation of coursing meetings. This is recognised in Australia and other parts of the world where coursing meetings are held. The Stud Book, of which Mr. W. F. Lamonby is the keeper, contains particulars of all the best-known Greyhounds in the United Kingdom, and a dog is not allowed to compete at any of the large meetings held under Coursing Club rules unless it has been duly entered with its pedigree complete. In fact, the National Coursing Club is more particular in connection with the pedigrees of Greyhounds being correctly given, than the Kennel Club is about dogs that are exhibited; and that is saying a great deal. It holds the same position in coursing matters as the Jockey Club does in racing. It is in fact, the supreme authority on all matters connected with coursing.

Various opinions have been advanced as to the best size and weight for a Greyhound. Like horses, Greyhounds run in all forms, and there is no doubt that a really good big one will always have an advantage over the little ones; but it is so difficult to find the former, and most of the chief winners of the Waterloo Cup have been comparatively small. Coomassie was the smallest Greyhound that ever won the blue ribbon of the leash; she drew the scale at 42 lbs., and was credited with the win of the Cup on two occasions. Bab at the Bowster, who is considered by many good judges to have been the best bitch that ever ran, was 2 lbs. more; she won the Cup once, and many other stakes, as she was run all over the country and was not kept for the big event. Master McGrath was a small dog, and only weighed 53 lbs., but he won the Waterloo Cup three times. Fullerton, who was a much bigger dog, and was four times declared the winner of the Cup, was 56 lbs. in weight.

There are very few Greyhounds that have won the Waterloo Cup more than once, but Cerito was credited with it three times, namely, in 1850, 1852, and 1853, when it was a thirty-two dog stake. Canaradzo, Bit of Fashion, Miss Glendine, Herschel, Thoughtless Beauty, and Fabulous Fortune, are probably some of the best Greyhounds that ever ran besides those already alluded to. Bit of Fashion was the dam of Fullerton, who shares with Master McGrath the reputation of being the two best Greyhounds that ever ran. But Master McGrath came first. During his remarkable career in public he won thirty-six courses out of thirty-seven, the only time that he was defeated being the 1870 at his third attempt to win the Waterloo Cup, and the flag went up in favour of Mr. Trevor's Lady Lyons. He, however, retrieved his good fortune the following year, when he again ran through the stake.

Fullerton, who, when he won all his honours, was the property of Colonel North, was bred by Mr. James Dent in Northumberland. Colonel North gave 850 guineas for him, which was then stated to be the highest price ever paid for a Greyhound. He ran five times altogether for the Waterloo Cup, and was declared the winner on four occasions. The first time was in 1889, when he divided with his kennel companion Troughend. Then he won the Cup outright the three following years. In 1893, however, after having been put to the stud, at which he proved a failure, he was again trained for the Cup, but age had begun to tell its tale, and after winning one course he was beaten by Mr. Keating's Full Captain, in the second. This was one of the two occasions upon which out of thirty-three courses he failed to raise the flag. On the other he was beaten by Mr. Gladstone's Greengage, when running the deciding course at Haydock Park.

It appears like descending from the sublime to the ridiculous to mention the Greyhound as a show dog, after the many brilliant performances that have been recorded of him in the leash, but there are many dogs elegant in outline with fine muscular development that are to be seen in the judging ring. Mr. George Raper's Roasting Hot is one of the most prominent winners of the day; he is a fawn and white, as handsome as a peacock and, moreover, is a good dog in the field. On one occasion after competing successfully at the Kennel Club Show at the Crystal Palace, he was taken to a coursing meeting where he won the stake in which he was entered. A brace of very beautiful bitches are Mr. F. Eyer's Dorset Girl and Miss W. Easton's Okeford Queen.

Although, as a rule, the most consistent winners in the leash have not been noted for their good looks, there have been exceptions in which the opposite has been the case. Fullerton was a good-looking dog, if not quite up to the form required in the show ring. Mr. Harding Cox has had several specimens that could run well and win prizes as show dogs, and the same may be said of Miss Maud May's fine kennel of Greyhounds in the North of England. In the South of England Mrs. A. Dewe keeps a number of longtails that when not winning prizes at the Crystal Palace and elsewhere are running at Plumpton and other meetings in Sussex.

The following is the standard by which Greyhounds should be judged.

* * * * *

HEAD—Long and narrow, slightly wider in skull, allowing for plenty of brain room; lips tight, without any flew, and eyes bright and intelligent and dark in colour. EARS—Small and fine in texture, and semi-pricked. TEETH—Very strong and level, and not decayed or cankered. NECK—Lengthy, without any throatiness, but muscular. SHOULDERS—Placed well back in the body, and fairly muscular, without being loaded. FORE-LEGS—Perfectly straight, set well into the shoulders, with strong pasterns and toes set well up and close together. BODY—Chest very deep, with fairly well-sprung ribs; muscular back and loins, and well cut up in the flanks. HIND-QUARTERS—Wide and well let down, with hocks well bent and close to the ground, with very muscular haunches, showing great propelling power, and tail long and fine and tapering with a slight upward curve. COAT—Fairly fine in texture. WEIGHT—The ideal weight of a dog is from 60 pounds to 65 pounds, of a bitch from 55 pounds to 60 pounds.



CHAPTER XIX

THE WHIPPET

For elegance of style, cleanliness of habit, and graceful movement, few dogs can equal the Whippet, for which reason his popularity as a companion has increased very greatly within the past decade. No more affectionate creature is to be found, yet he possesses considerable determination and pluck, and on occasion will defend himself in his own way.

Too fragile in his anatomy for fighting, in the ordinary sense of the word, when molested, he will "snap" at his opponent with such celerity as to take even the most watchful by surprise; while his strength of jaw, combined with its comparatively great length, enables him to inflict severe punishment at the first grab. It was probably owing to this habit, which is common to all Whippets, that they were originally known as Snap-Dogs.

The Whippet existed as a separate breed long before dog shows were thought of, and at a time when records of pedigrees were not officially preserved; but it is very certain that the Greyhound had a share in his genealogical history, for not only should his appearance be precisely that of a Greyhound in miniature, but the purpose for which he was bred is very similar to that for which his larger prototype is still used, the only difference being that rabbits were coursed by Whippets, and hares by Greyhounds.

This sport has been mainly confined to the working classes, the colliers of Lancashire, Yorkshire, Durham, and Northumberland being particularly devoted to it. As a rule the contests are handicaps, the starting point of each competitor being regulated by its weight; but the winners of previous important events are penalised in addition, according to their presumed merit, by having a certain number of yards deducted from the start to which weight alone would otherwise have entitled them. Each dog is taken to its stipulated mark according to the handicap, and there laid hold of by the nape of the neck and hind-quarters; the real starter stands behind the lot, and after warning all to be ready, discharges a pistol, upon which each attendant swings his dog as far forward as he can possibly throw him, but always making sure that he alights on his feet. The distance covered in the race is generally 200 yards, minus the starts allotted, and some idea of the speed at which these very active little animals can travel may be gleaned from the fact that the full distance has been covered in rather under 12 seconds.

In order to induce each dog to do its best, the owner, or more probably the trainer stands beyond the winning post, and frantically waves a towel or very stout rag. Accompanied by a babel of noise, the race is started, and in less time than it takes to write it the competitors reach the goal, one and all as they finish taking a flying leap at their trainer's towel, to which they hold on with such tenacity that they are swung round in the air. The speed at which they are travelling makes this movement necessary in many cases to enable the dog to avoid accident, particularly where the space beyond the winning mark is limited. For racing purposes there is a wide margin of size allowed to the dogs, anything from 8 lbs. to 23 lbs., or even more, being eligible; but in view of the handicap terms those dogs which possess speed, and scale 9 to 12 lbs. amongst the light-weights, and over 17 lbs. in the heavy ones, are considered to have the best chance.

Probably there is no locality where the pastime has maintained such a firm hold as in and around Oldham, one of the most famous tracks in the world being at Higginshaw, where not infrequently three hundred dogs are entered in one handicap. The Borough grounds at Oldham and the Wellington grounds at Bury are also noted centres for races. It is a remarkable but well recognised fact that bitches are faster than dogs, and in consequence the terms upon which they are handicapped are varied. The general custom is to allow a dog 2-1/2 to 3 yards advantage for every pound difference in weight between it and the gentle sex.

One of the fastest dogs that ever ran was Collier Lad, but he was almost a Greyhound as regards size. Whitefoot, whose owner challenged the world, and was considered to be quite unbeatable, was a Whippet in every sense of the word, and was a nice medium weight, though probably Capplebank's time of 11-1/2 seconds stands alone. The best of the present-day racing dogs are Polly fro' Astley (15 lbs.) and Dinah (11-1/2 lbs.), and of those which promise well for the future, Eva, whose weight is only 9-3/4 lbs., is most prominent.

The training of Whippets is by no means easy work, and is more expensive than most people imagine. The very choicest food is deemed absolutely necessary, in fact a Whippet undergoing preparation for an important race is provided with the most wholesome fare. Choice mutton-chops, beef-steaks and similar dainties comprise their daily portion. Of course exercise is a necessity, but it is not considered good policy to allow a dog in training to gambol about either on the roads or in the fields. Indeed, all dogs which are undergoing preparation for a race are practically deprived of their freedom, in lieu of which they are walked along hard roads secured by a lead; and for fear of their picking up the least bit of refuse each is securely muzzled by a box-like leather arrangement which completely envelops the jaws, but which is freely perforated to permit proper breathing. Any distance between six and a dozen miles a day, according to the stamina and condition of the dog, is supposed to be the proper amount of exercise, and scales are brought into use every few days to gauge the effect which is being produced. In addition to this private trials are necessary in the presence of someone who is accustomed to timing races by the aid of a stop-watch—a by no means easy task, considering that a slight particle of a second means so many yards, and the average speed working out at about 16 yards per second—nearly twice as fast as the fastest pedestrian sprinter, and altogether beyond the power of the fleetest race-horse.

Colour in the Whippet is absolutely of no importance to a good judge, though possibly what is known as the peach fawn is the favourite among amateur fanciers. Red fawns, blue or slate coloured, black, brindled of various shades, and these colours intermingled with white, are most to be met with, however. In some quarters the idea is prevalent that Whippets are delicate in their constitution, but this is a popular error. Probably their disinclination to go out of doors on their own initiative when the weather is cold and wet may account for the opinion, but given the opportunity to roam about a house the Whippet will find a comfortable place, and will rarely ail anything. In scores of houses Whippets go to bed with the children, and are so clean that even scrupulous housewives take no objection to their finding their way under the clothes to the foot of the bed, thereby securing their own protection and serving as an excellent footwarmer in the winter months.

Probably in no other breed, except the Greyhound, do judges attach so little importance to the shape of the head; so long as the jaws are fairly long and the colour of the eyes somewhat in keeping with that of the body, very little else is looked for in front of the ears. As in the case of racing competitors, really good dogs for show purposes are much more difficult to find than bitches. The best of the males are not so classical in outline as the females, though some of them are as good in legs and feet—points which are of the greatest importance. Though it is not quite in accordance with the standard laid down by the club, it will be found that most judges favour dogs which are about 17 lbs. weight, and bitches which are between 15 lbs. and 16 lbs., the 20 lbs. mentioned in the standard of points, without variation for sex being considered altogether too heavy. Appearances are sometimes deceptive, but these dogs are rarely weighed for exhibition purposes, the trained eye of the judge being sufficient guide to the size of the competitors according to his partiality for middle-size, big, or little animals.

The South Durham and Yorkshire Show at Darlington has the credit for first introducing classes for Whippets into the prize ring. Previous to this it had not long been generally recognised as a distinct breed, and it is within the last twenty years that the Kennel Club has placed the breed on its recognised list.

The following is the standard of points adopted by the Whippet Club:—

* * * * *

HEAD—Long and lean, rather wide between the eyes and flat on the top; the jaw powerful yet cleanly cut; the teeth level and white. EYES—Bright and fiery. EARS—Small, fine in texture and rose shape. NECK—Long and muscular, elegantly arched and free from throatiness. SHOULDERS—Oblique and muscular. CHEST—Deep and capacious. BACK—Broad and square, rather long and slightly arched over the loin, which should be strong and powerful. FORE-LEGS—Rather long, well set under the dog, possessing a fair amount of bone. HIND-QUARTERS—Strong and broad across stifles, well bent thighs, broad and muscular; hocks well let down. FEET—Round, well split up, with strong soles. COAT—Fine and close. COLOUR—Black, red, white, brindle, fawn, blue, and the various mixtures of each. WEIGHT—Twenty pounds.



CHAPTER XX

THE FOXHOUND

There is plenty of proof that Foxhounds were the very first of the canine races in Great Britain to come under the domination of scientific breeding. There had been hounds of more ancient origin, such as the Southern Hound and the Bloodhound; but something different was wanted towards the end of the seventeenth century to hunt the wild deer that had become somewhat scattered after Cromwell's civil war. The demand was consequently for a quicker hound than those hitherto known, and people devoted to the chase began to breed it. Whether there were crosses at first remains in dispute, but there is more probability that the policy adopted was one of selection; those exceptionally fast were bred with the same, until the slow, steady line hunter was improved out of his very character and shape. At any rate, there are proofs that in 1710 hounds were to be found in packs, carefully bred, and that at that time some of the hunts in question devoted attention to the fox.

The first known kennel of all was at Wardour Castle, and was said to have been established in 1696; but more reliable is the date of the Brocklesby, commenced in 1713. The first record of a pack of hounds being sold was in 1730, when a Mr. Fownes sold his pack to a Mr. Bowles. The latter gentleman showed great sport with them in Yorkshire. At that time Lord Hertford began to hunt the Cotswold country, in Gloucestershire, and was the first to draw coverts for fox in the modern style. Very soon after this it became the fashion of the day to breed hounds. Many of the nobility and large landowners devoted much of their time and money to it, and would take long journeys to get fresh blood. It was the rule to breed hounds on the most scientific principles, and by 1750 there were fifty such breeders, including the fifth Duke of Beaufort, Lord Lincoln, Lord Stamford, Lord Percival, Lord Granby, Lord Ludlow, Lord Vernon, Lord Carlisle, Lord Mexbro, Sir Walter Vavasour, Sir Roland Winns, Mr. Noel, Mr. Stanhope, Mr. Meynell, Mr. Barry, and Mr. Charles Pelham. The last-named gentleman, afterward the first Lord Yarborough, was perhaps the most indefatigable of all, as he was the first to start the system of walking puppies amongst his tenantry, on the Brocklesby estates, and of keeping lists of hound pedigrees and ages. By 1760 all the above-named noblemen and gentlemen had been breeding from each other's kennels. The hounds were registered, as can be seen now in Lord Middleton's private kennel stud book, through which his lordship can trace the pedigrees of his present pack for a hundred and sixty years to hounds that were entered in 1760, got by Raytor, son of Merryman and grandson of Lord Granby's Ranter. Another pedigree was that of Ruby, who is credited with a numerous progeny, as she was by Raytor out of Mr. Stapleton's Cruel by Sailor, a son of Lord Granby's Sailor by Mr. Noel's Victor. This shows well how seriously Foxhound breeding was gone into before the middle of the eighteenth century. Portraits prove also that a hound approaching very closely to those of modern times had been produced at this early period. By such evidence the Foxhound had outstripped the Harrier in size by nearly five inches, as the latter does not appear to have been more than eighteen inches, and the early Foxhound would have been twenty-three inches. Then the heavy shoulder, the dewlap, and jowl of the Southern Hound had been got rid of, and the coat had been somewhat altered. The old school of breeders had evidently determined upon great speed and the ability to stay, through the medium of deep ribs, heart room, wide loins, length of quarter, quality of bone, straightness of fore-leg, and round strong feet; the slack loined, loosely built, and splayfooted hound of former generations had been left behind. To such perfection, indeed, had the Foxhound attained, that long before the close of the eighteenth century sportsmen were clamouring as to what a Foxhound could do.

With so much prominence given to the Foxhound in the comparatively short period of forty or fifty years, it is no wonder that individual hounds became very celebrated in almost every part of the country. Mr. Pelham's Rockwood Tickler and Bumper were names well known in Yorkshire, and Lord Ludlow's Powerful and Growler were talked of both in Lincolnshire and Warwickshire. From the first, indeed, it appeared that certain hounds were very much better than others, and old huntsmen have generally declared for one which was in the whole length of their careers (sometimes extending to fifty years) immeasurably superior to all others they had hunted. Harry Ayris, who was for just half a century with Lord FitzHardinge, declared to the day of his death that nothing had equalled Cromwell; Osbaldeston said the same of Furrier, and Frank Gillard never falters from the opinion that Weathergage was quite by himself as the best hound he ever hunted. The Foxhound Kennel Stud Book abounds in the strongest proofs that hereditary merit in their work has been transmitted from these wonderful hounds, and they really make the history of the Foxhound.

There have been many great hounds; but there must be the greatest of the great, and the following twelve hounds are probably the best England has ever seen:—Mr. Corbet's Trojan (1780), Lord Middleton's Vanguard (1815), Mr. Osbaldeston's Furrier (1820), Lord Henry Bentinck's Contest (1848), Lord FitzHardinge's Cromwell (1855), Mr. Drake's Duster (1844), Sir Richard Sutton's Dryden (1849), the Duke of Rutland's Senator (1862), Duke of Rutland's Weathergage (1874), the Earl of Coventry's Rambler (1874), Mr. E. P. Rawnsley's Freeman (1884), and the Grafton Woodman (1892).

Breeding Foxhounds is one of the most fascinating of all the pleasures of animal culture, as the above list, so full of extreme merit, can be traced for nearly a hundred and thirty years.

It cannot be said that the prices paid for Foxhounds in very recent times have greatly exceeded those of the past. In 1790 Colonel Thornton sold Merkin for four hogsheads of claret, and the seller to have two couples of the whelps. Then in 1808 Mr. John Warde sold a pack of hounds to Lord Althorpe for 1,000 guineas, and the same gentleman sold another pack for the same sum a few years later. In 1838 Lord Suffield offered 3,000 guineas for Mr. Lambton's pack, and afterwards sold it to Sir Matthew White Ridley for 2,500. In 1834 Osbaldeston sold ten couples of bitches, all descendants of Furrier, for 2,000 sovereigns, or P100 a hound—a record that was almost eclipsed at the sale of Lord Politmore's hounds in 1870, when twenty-two couples of dog-hounds sold for 3,365 guineas.

Of late years there has been the sale of the Quorn for, it was said, P3,000, and the late Lord Willoughby de Broke valued the North Warwickshire for the county to purchase at P2,500. In 1903 the Atherstone was valued by Mr. Rawlence, the well-known representative of Tattersall's, at P3,500, or something like P50 a hound, and that has been considered very cheap. If, therefore, modern prices have not greatly exceeded those of the far past, there has not been any particular diminution, and there is no doubt about it that if certain packs could be purchased the prices would far exceed anything ever reached before.

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:—

* * * * *

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.



CHAPTER XXI

THE HARRIER AND THE BEAGLE

The Harrier is a distinct breed of hound used for hunting the hare—or rather it should be said the Association of Masters of Harriers are doing their utmost to perpetuate this breed; the Harrier Stud Book bearing witness thereto: and it is to be deplored that so many Masters of Harriers ignore this fact, and are content to go solely to Foxhound kennels to start their packs of Harriers, choosing, maybe, 20 inch to 22 inch Foxhounds, and thenceforth calling them Harriers. It is, indeed, a common belief that the modern Harrier is but a smaller edition of the Foxhound, employed for hunting the hare instead of the fox, and it is almost useless to reiterate that it is a distinct breed of hound that can boast of possibly greater antiquity than any other, or to insist upon the fact that Xenophon himself kept a pack of Harriers over two thousands years ago. Nevertheless, in general appearance the Harrier and the Foxhound are very much alike, the one obvious distinction being that of size.

Opinions differ as to what standard of height it is advisable to aim at. If you want to hunt your Harriers on foot, 16 inches is quite big enough—almost too big to run with; but if you are riding to them, 20 inches is a useful height, or even 19 inches. Either is a good workable size, and such hounds should be able to slip along fast enough for most people. Choose your hounds with plenty of bone, but not too clumsy or heavy; a round, firm neck, not too short, with a swan-like curve; a lean head with a long muzzle and fairly short ears; a broad chest with plenty of lung room, fore-legs like gun barrels, straight and strong; hind-legs with good thighs and well let down hocks; feet, round like cats' feet, and a well-set-on, tapering stern. Such a make and shape should see many seasons through, and allow you to be certain of pace and endurance in your pack. It is useless to lay down any hard and fast rule as to colour. It is so much a matter of individual taste. Some Masters have a great fancy for the dark colouring of the old Southern Hound, but nothing could look much smarter than a good combination of Belvoir tan with black and white. Puppies, as a rule, a week or two after they are whelped, show a greater proportion of dark marking than any other, but this as they grow older soon alters, and their white marking becomes much more conspicuous. As in the case of the Foxhound, the Harrier is very seldom kept as a companion apart from the pack. But puppies are usually sent out to walk, and may easily be procured to be kept and reared until they are old enough to be entered to their work. Doubtless the rearing of a Harrier puppy is a great responsibility, but it is also a delight to many who feel that they are helping in the advancement of a great national sport.

* * * * *

There is nothing to surpass the beauty of the Beagle either to see him on the flags of his kennel or in unravelling a difficulty on the line of a dodging hare. In neatness he is really the little model of a Foxhound. He is, of course, finer, but with the length of neck so perfect in the bigger hound, the little shoulders of the same pattern, and the typical quarters and second thighs. Then how quick he is in his casts! and when he is fairly on a line, of course he sticks to it, as the saying is, "like a beagle."

Beagles have been carefully preserved for a great many years, and in some cases they have been in families for almost centuries. In the hereditary hunting establishments they have been frequently found, as the medium of amusement and instruction in hunting for the juvenile members of the house; and there can be nothing more likely to instil the right principles of venery into the youthful mind than to follow all the ways of these little hounds.

Dorsetshire used to be the great county for Beagles. The downs there were exactly fitted for them, and years ago, when roe-deer were preserved on the large estates, Beagles were used to hunt this small breed of deer. Mr. Cranes' Beagles were noted at the time, and also those of a Colonel Harding. It is on record that King George IV. had a strong partiality for Beagles, and was wont to see them work on the downs round about Brighton. The uses of the Beagle in the early days of the last century, however, were a good deal diversified. They were hunted in big woodlands to drive game to the gun, and perhaps the ordinary Beagle of from 12 inches to 14 inches was not big enough for the requirements of the times. It is quite possible, therefore, that the Beagle was crossed with the Welsh, Southern or Otterhound, to get more size and power, as there certainly was a Welsh rough-coated Beagle of good 18 inches, and an almost identical contemporary that was called the Essex Beagle. Sixty years ago such hounds were common enough, but possibly through the adoption of the more prevalent plan of beating coverts, and Spaniels being in more general use, the vocation of the Beagle in this particular direction died out, and a big rough-coated Beagle is now very rarely seen.

That a great many of the true order were bred became very manifest as soon as the Harrier and Beagle Association was formed, and more particularly when a section of the Peterborough Hound Show was reserved for them. Then they seemed to spring from every part of the country. In 1896 one became well acquainted with many packs that had apparently held aloof from the dog shows. There was the Cheshire, the Christ Church (Oxford), Mr. T. Johnson's, the Royal Rock, the Thorpe Satchville, the Worcestershire, etc., and of late there have been many more that are as well known as packs of Foxhounds. One hears now of the Chauston, the Halstead Place—very noted indeed—the Hulton, the Leigh Park, the Stoke Place, the Edinburgh, the Surbiton, the Trinity Foot, the Wooddale, Mrs. G. W. Hilliard's, Mrs. Price's, and Mrs. Turner's.

Beagle owners, like the masters of Foxhound kennels, have never been very partial to the ordinary dog shows, and so the development of the up-to-date Beagle, as seen at recent shows, is somewhat new. It is just as it should be, and if more people take up "beagling" it may not be in the least surprising. They are very beautiful little hounds, can give a vast amount of amusement, and, for the matter of that, healthy exercise. If a stout runner can keep within fairly easy distance of a pack of well-bred Beagles on the line of a lively Jack hare, he is in the sort of condition to be generally envied.

* * * * *

DESCRIPTION OF THE BEAGLE: HEAD—Fair length, powerful without being coarse; skull domed, moderately wide, with an indication of peak, stop well defined, muzzle not snipy, and lips well flewed. NOSE—Black, broad, and nostrils well expanded. EYES—Brown, dark hazel or hazel, not deep set nor bulgy, and with a mild expression. EARS—Long, set on low, fine in texture, and hanging in a graceful fold close to the cheek. NECK—Moderately long, slightly arched, the throat showing some dewlap. SHOULDERS—Clean and slightly sloping. BODY—Short between the couplings, well let down in chest, ribs fairly well sprung and well ribbed up, with powerful and not tucked-up loins. HIND-QUARTERS—Very muscular about the thighs, stifles and hocks well bent, and hocks well let down. FORE-LEGS—Quite straight, well under the dog, of good substance and round in the bone. FEET—Round, well knuckled up, and strongly padded. STERN—Moderate length, set on high, thick and carried gaily, but not curled over the back. COLOUR—Any recognised hound colour. COAT—Smooth variety: Smooth, very dense and not too fine or short. Rough variety: Very dense and wiry. HEIGHT—Not exceeding 16 inches. Pocket Beagles must not exceed 10 inches. GENERAL APPEARANCE—A compactly-built hound, without coarseness, conveying the impression of great stamina and vivacity.



CHAPTER XXII

THE POINTER

It has never been made quite clear in history why the Spaniards had a dog that was very remarkable for pointing all kinds of game. They have always been a pleasure-loving people, certainly, but more inclined to bull-fighting than field-craft, and yet as early as 1600 they must have had a better dog for game-finding than could have been found in any other part of the world. Singularly enough, too, the most esteemed breeds in many countries can be traced from the same source, such as the Russian Pointer, the German Pointer, the French double-nosed Griffon, and, far more important still, the English Pointer. A view has been taken that the Spanish double-nosed Pointer was introduced into England about two hundred years ago, when fire-arms were beginning to be popular for fowling purposes. Setters and Spaniels had been used to find and drive birds into nets, but as the Spanish Pointer became known it was apparently considered that he alone had the capacity to find game for the gun. This must have been towards the end of the seventeenth century, and for the next fifty years at least something very slow was wanted to meet the necessities of the old-fashioned flintlock gun, which occupied many minutes in loading and getting into position. Improvements came by degrees, until they set in very rapidly, but probably by 1750, when hunting had progressed a good deal, and pace was increased in all pastimes, the old-fashioned Pointer was voted a nuisance through his extreme caution and tortoise-like movements.

There is evidence, through portraits, that Pointers had been altogether changed by the year 1800, but it is possible that the breed then had been continued by selection rather than by crossing for a couple of decades, as it is quite certain that by 1815 sportsmen were still dissatisfied with the want of pace in the Pointer, and many sportsmen are known to have crossed their Pointers with Foxhounds at about that time. By 1835 the old Spanish Pointer had been left behind, and the English dog was a perfect model for pace, stamina, resolution, and nerve. The breed was exactly adapted to the requirements of that day, which was not quite as fast as the present. Men shot with good Joe Mantons, did their own loading, and walked to their dogs, working them right and left by hand and whistle. The dogs beat their ground methodically, their heads at the right level for body scent, and when they came on game, down they were; the dog that had got it pointing, and the other barking or awaiting developments. There was nothing more beautiful than the work of a well-bred and well-broken brace of Pointers, or more perfect than the way a man got his shots from them. There was nothing slow about them, but on the contrary they went a great pace, seemed to shoot into the very currents of air for scent, and yet there was no impatience about them such as might have been expected from the Foxhound cross. The truth of it was that the capacity to concentrate the whole attention on the object found was so intense as to have lessened every other propensity. The rush of the Foxhound had been absorbed by the additional force of the Pointer character. There has been nothing at all like it in canine culture, and it came out so wonderfully after men had been shooting in the above manner for about forty years.

It was nearing the end of this period that field trials began to occupy the attention of breeders and sportsmen, and although Setters had been getting into equal repute for the beauty of their work, there was something more brilliant about the Pointers at first. Brockton's Bounce was a magnificent dog, a winner on the show bench, and of the first Field Trial in England. Newton's Ranger was another of the early performers, and he was very staunch and brilliant, but it was in the next five years that the most extraordinary Pointer merit was seen, as quite incomparable was Sir Richard Garth's Drake, who was just five generations from the Spanish Pointer. Drake was rather a tall, gaunt dog, but with immense depth of girth, long shoulders, long haunches, and a benevolent, quiet countenance. There was nothing very attractive about him when walking about at Stafford prior to his trial, but the moment he was down he seemed to paralyse his opponent, as he went half as fast again. It was calculated that he went fifty miles an hour, and at this tremendous pace he would stop as if petrified, and the momentum would cover him with earth and dust. He did not seem capable of making a mistake, and his birds were always at about the same distance from him, to show thereby his extraordinary nose and confidence. Nothing in his day could beat him in a field. He got some good stock, but they were not generally show form, the bitches by him being mostly light and small, and his sons a bit high on the leg. None of them had his pace, but some were capital performers, such as Sir Thomas Lennard's Mallard, Mr. George Pilkington's Tory, Mr. Lloyd Price's Luck of Edenhall, winner of the Field Trial Derby, 1878; Lord Downe's Mars and Bounce, and Mr. Barclay Field's Riot. When Sir Richard Garth went to India and sold his kennel of Pointers at Tattersall's, Mr. Lloyd Price gave 150 guineas for Drake.

The mid-century owners and breeders had probably all the advantages of what a past generation had done, as there were certainly many wonderful Pointers in the 'fifties, 'sixties, and 'seventies, as old men living to-day will freely allow. They were produced very regularly, too, in a marvellous type of perfection.

Mr. William Arkwright, of Sutton Scarsdale, Derbyshire, has probably the best kennel in England at the present time. He discovered and revived an old breed of the North of England that was black, and bred for a great many years by Mr. Pape, of Carlisle, and his father before him. With these Mr. Arkwright has bred to the best working strains, with the result that he has had many good field trial winners. For a good many years now Elias Bishop, of Newton Abbot, has kept up the old breeds of Devon Pointers, the Ch. Bangs, the Mikes, and the Brackenburg Romps, and his have been amongst the best at the shows and the field trials during the past few years. There are, of course, exceptions to the rule that many of the modern Pointers do not carry about them the air of their true business; but it would appear that fewer people keep them now than was the case a quarter of a century ago, owing to the advance of quick-shooting, otherwise driving, and the consequent falling away of the old-fashioned methods, both for the stubble and the moor. However, there are many still who enjoy the work of dogs, and it would be a sin indeed in the calendar of British sports if the fine old breed of Pointer were allowed even to deteriorate. The apparent danger is that the personal or individual element is dying out. In the 'seventies the name of Drake, Bang, or Garnet were like household words. People talked of the great Pointers. They were spoken of in club chat or gossip; written about; and the prospects of the moors were much associated with the up-to-date characters of the Pointers and Setters. There is very little of this sort of talk now-a-days. Guns are more critically spoken of. There is, however, a wide enough world to supply with first-class Pointers. In England's numerous colonies it may be much more fitting to shoot over dogs. It has been tried in South Africa with marvellous results. Descendants of Bang have delighted the lone colonist on Cape partridge and quails, and Pointers suit the climate, whereas Setters do not. The Pointer is a noble breed to take up, as those still in middle life have seen its extraordinary merit whenever bred in the right way. As to the essential points of the breed, they may be set down as follows:—

* * * * *

HEAD—Should be wide from ear to ear, long and slanting from the top of the skull to the setting on of the nose; cheek bones prominent; ears set low and thin in texture, soft and velvety; nose broad at the base; mouth large and jaws level. NECK—The neck should be very strong, but long and slightly arched, meeting shoulders well knit into the back, which should be straight and joining a wide loin. There should be great depth of heart room, very deep brisket, narrow chest rather than otherwise, shoulders long and slanting. LEGS AND FEET—Should be as nearly like the Foxhound's as possible. There should be really no difference, as they must be straight, the knees big, and the bone should be of goodly size down to the toes, and the feet should be very round and cat-shaped. HIND-QUARTERS—A great feature in the Pointer is his hind-quarters. He cannot well be too long in the haunch or strong in the stifle, which should be well bent, and the muscles in the second thigh of a good Pointer are always remarkable. The hocks may be straighter than even in a Foxhound, as, in pulling up sharp on his point, he in a great measure throws his weight on them; the shank bones below the hock should be short. COLOUR—There have been good ones of all colours. The Derby colours were always liver and whites for their Pointers and black breasted reds for their game-cocks. The Seftons were liver and whites also, and so were the Edges of Strelly, but mostly heavily ticked. Brockton's Bounce was so, and so were Ch. Bang, Mike, and Young Bang. Drake was more of the Derby colour; dark liver and white. Mr. Whitehouse's were mostly lemon and whites, after Hamlet of that colour, and notable ones of the same hue were Squire, Bang Bang, and Mr. Whitehouse's Pax and Priam, all winners of field trials. There have been several very good black and whites. Mr. Francis's, afterwards Mr. Salter's, Chang was a field trial winner of this colour. A still better one was Mr. S. Becket's Rector, a somewhat mean little dog to look at, but quite extraordinary in his work, as he won the Pointer Puppy Stake at Shrewsbury and the All-Aged Stake three years in succession. Mr. Salter's Romp family were quite remarkable in colour—a white ground, heavily shot with black in patches and in ticks. There have never been any better Pointers than these. There have been, and are, good black Pointers also. HEIGHT AND SIZE—A big Pointer dog stands from 24-1/2 inches to 25 inches at the shoulder. Old Ch. Bang and Young Bang were of the former height, and the great bitch, Mr. Lloyd Price's Belle, was 24 inches. For big Pointers 60 pounds is about the weight for dogs and 56 pounds bitches; smaller size, 54 pounds dogs and 48 pounds bitches. There have been some very good ones still smaller.



CHAPTER XXIII

THE SETTERS

I. THE ENGLISH SETTER.—In some form or other Setters are to be found wherever guns are in frequent use and irrespective of the precise class of work they have to perform; but their proper sphere is either on the moors, when the red grouse are in quest, or on the stubbles and amongst the root crops, when September comes in, and the partridge season commences.

Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, is supposed to have been the first person to train setting dogs in the manner which has been commonly adopted by his successors. His lordship lived in the middle of the sixteenth century, and was therefore a contemporary of Dr. Caius, who may possibly have been indebted to the Earl for information when, in his work on English Dogges, he wrote of the Setter under the name of the Index.

Though Setters are divided into three distinct varieties,—The English, the Irish and the Gordon, or Black and Tan—there can be no doubt that all have a common origin, though it is scarcely probable, in view of their dissimilarity, that the same individual ancestors can be supposed to be their original progenitors. Nearly all authorities agree that the Spaniel family is accountable on one side, and this contention is borne out to a considerable extent by old illustrations and paintings of Setters at work, in which they are invariably depicted as being very much like the old liver and white Spaniel, though of different colours. Doubt exists as to the other side of their heredity, but it does not necessarily follow that all those who first bred them used the same means. Of the theories put forward, that which carries the most presumptive evidence must go to the credit of the old Spanish Pointer. Where else could they inherit that wonderful scenting power, that style in which they draw up to their game, their statuesque attitude when on point, and, above all, the staunchness and patience by which they hold their game spellbound until the shooter has time to walk leisurely up, even from a considerable distance?

But, apart from the question of their origin, the different varieties have many other attributes in common; all perform the same kind of work, and in the same manner; consequently the system of breaking or training them varies only according to the temper or ideas of those who undertake their schooling.

Few dogs are more admired than English Setters, and those who are looked upon as professional exhibitors have not been slow to recognise the fact that when a really good young dog makes its appearance it is a formidable rival amongst all other breeds when the special prizes come to be allotted.

Seen either at its legitimate work as a gun dog or as a domestic companion, the English Setter is one of the most graceful and beautiful of the canine race, and its elegant form and feathery coat command instant admiration. Twenty years ago it was known by several distinct names, among the more important being the Blue Beltons and Laveracks, and this regardless of any consideration as to whether or not the dogs were in any way connected by relationship to the stock which had earned fame for either of these time-honoured names. It was the great increase in the number of shows and some confusion on the part of exhibitors that made it necessary for the Kennel Club to classify under one heading these and others which had attained some amount of notability and the old terms have gradually been dropped.

Doubtless the English Setter Club has done much since its institution in 1890 to encourage this breed of dog, and has proved the usefulness of the club by providing two very valuable trophies, the Exhibitors' Challenge Cup and the Field Trial Challenge Cup, for competition amongst its members, besides having liberally supported all the leading shows; hence it has rightly come to be regarded as the only authority from which an acceptable and official dictum for the guidance of others can emanate.

The following is the standard of points issued by the English Setter Club:—

* * * * *

HEAD—The head should be long and lean, with well-defined stop. The skull oval from ear to ear, showing plenty of brain room, and with a well-defined occipital protuberance. The muzzle moderately deep and fairly square; from the stop to the point of the nose should be long, the nostrils wide, and the jaws of nearly equal length; flews not too pendulous. The colour of the nose should be black, or dark, or light liver, according to the colour of the coat. The eyes should be bright, mild, and intelligent, and of a dark hazel colour, the darker the better. The ears of moderate length, set on low and hanging in neat folds close to the cheek; the tip should be velvety, the upper part clothed with fine silky hair. NECK—The neck should be rather long, muscular, and lean, slightly arched at the crest, and clean cut where it joins the head; towards the shoulder it should be larger, and very muscular, not throaty with any pendulosity below the throat, but elegant and bloodlike in appearance. BODY—The body should be of moderate length, with shoulders well set back or oblique; back short and level; loins wide, slightly arched, strong and muscular. Chest deep in the brisket, with good round widely-sprung ribs, deep in the back ribs—that is, well ribbed up. LEGS AND FEET—The stifles should be well bent and ragged, thighs long from hip to hock. The forearm big and very muscular, the elbow well let down. Pasterns short, muscular, and straight. The feet very close and compact, and well protected by hair between the toes. TAIL—The tail should be set on almost in a line with the back; medium length, not curly or ropy, to be slightly curved or scimitar-shaped, but with no tendency to turn upwards; the flag or feather hanging in long, pendant flakes; the feather should not commence at the root, but slightly below, and increase in length to the middle, then gradually taper off towards the end; and the hair long, bright, soft and silky, wavy but not curly. COAT AND FEATHERING—The coat from the back of the head in a line with the ears ought to be slightly wavy, long, and silky, which should be the case with the coat generally; the breeches and fore-legs, nearly down to the feet, should be well feathered. COLOUR AND MARKINGS—The colour may be either black and white, lemon and white, liver and white, or tricolour—that is, black, white, and tan; those without heavy patches of colour on the body, but flecked all over preferred.

* * * * *

II. THE IRISH SETTER.—Though this variety has not attained such popularity as its English cousin, it is not because it is regarded as being less pleasing to the eye, for in general appearance of style and outline there is very little difference; in fact, none, if the chiselling of the head and colour of the coat be excepted. The beautiful rich golden, chestnut colour which predominates in all well-bred specimens is in itself sufficient to account for the great favour in which they are regarded generally, while their disposition is sufficiently engaging to attract the attention of those who desire to have a moderate-sized dog as a companion, rather than either a very large or very small one. Probably this accounts for so many lady exhibitors in England preferring them to the other varieties of Setters. We have to go over to its native country, however, to find the breed most highly esteemed as a sporting dog for actual work, and there it is naturally first favourite; in fact, very few of either of the other varieties are to be met with from one end of the Green Isle to the other. It has been suggested that all Irish Setters are too headstrong to make really high-class field trial dogs. Some of them, on the contrary, are quite as great in speed and not only as clever at their business, but quite as keen-nosed as other Setters. Some which have competed within the past few years at the Irish Red Setter Club's trials have had as rivals some of the best Pointers from England and Scotland, and have successfully held their own.

The Secretary of the Irish Setter Club is Mr. S. Brown, 27, Eustace Street, Dublin, and the standard of points as laid down by that authority is as follows:—

* * * * *

HEAD—The head should be long and lean. The skull oval (from ear to ear), having plenty of brain room, and with well-defined occipital protuberance. Brows raised, showing stop. The muzzle moderately deep and fairly square at the end. From the stop to the point of the nose should be fairly long, the nostrils wide, and the jaws of nearly equal length; flews not to be pendulous. The colour of the nose dark mahogany or dark walnut, and that of the eyes (which ought not to be too large) rich hazel or brown. The ears to be of moderate size, fine in texture, set on low, well back, and hanging in a neat fold close to the head. NECK—The neck should be moderately long, very muscular, but not too thick; slightly arched, free from all tendency to throatiness. BODY—The body should be long. Shoulders fine at the points, deep and sloping well back. The chest as deep as possible, rather narrow in front. The ribs well sprung, leaving plenty of lung room. Loins muscular and slightly arched. The hind-quarters wide and powerful. LEGS AND FEET—The hind-legs from hip to hock should be long and muscular; from hock to heel short and strong. The stifle and hock joints well bent, and not inclined either in or out. The fore-legs should be straight and sinewy, having plenty of bone, with elbows free, well let down, and, like the hocks, not inclined either in or out. The feet small, very firm; toes strong, close together, and arched. TAIL—The tail should be of moderate length, set on rather low, strong at root, and tapering to a fine point, to be carried as nearly as possible on a level or below the back. COAT—On the head, front of legs, and tips of ears the coat should be short and fine; but on all other parts of the body and legs it ought to be of moderate length, flat, and as free as possible from curl or wave. FEATHERING—The feather on the upper portion of the ears should be long and silky; on the back of fore and hind-legs long and fine; a fair amount of hair on the belly, forming a nice fringe, which may extend on chest and throat. Feet to be well feathered between the toes. Tail to have a nice fringe of moderately long hair, decreasing in length as it approaches the point. All feathering to be as straight and as flat as possible. COLOUR AND MARKINGS—The colour should be a rich golden chestnut, with no trace whatever of black; white on chest, throat, or toes, or a small star on the forehead, or a narrow streak or blaze on the nose or face not to disqualify.

* * * * *

III. THE BLACK AND TAN SETTER.—Originally this variety was known as the Gordon Setter, but this title was only partly correct, as the particular dogs first favoured by the Duke of Gordon, from whom they took the name, were black, tan, and white, heavily built, and somewhat clumsy in appearance. But the introduction of the Irish blood had the effect of making a racier-looking dog more fashionable, the presence of white on the chest was looked upon with disfavour, and the Kennel Club settled the difficulty of name by abolishing the term "Gordon" altogether.

Very few of this variety have appeared at field trials for several years past, but that cannot be considered a valid reason for stigmatising them as "old-men's dogs," as some narrow-minded faddists delight in calling them. On the few occasions when the opportunity has been presented they have acquitted themselves at least as well as, and on some occasions better than, their rivals of other varieties, proving to be as fast, as staunch, and as obedient as any of them. A notable example of this occurred during the season of 1902 and 1903, when Mr. Isaac Sharpe's Stylish Ranger was so remarkably successful at the trials.

It is very difficult to account for the lack of interest which is taken in the variety outside Scotland, but the fact remains that very few have appeared at field trials within recent years, and that only about four owners are troubling the officials of English shows regularly at the present time.