'1924. ScHARFF — On the Breeds of Dogs peculiar to Ireland. 87 



the 17th century, some of them to India, others to Spain, 

 Italy, Sweden, Poland and Persia. Eventually, the country 

 became so depleted of W^olfhounds that a great increase of 

 Wolves took place. An Order in Council had, therefore, to 

 be made in 1652 prohibiting their export. About the year 

 1694, the naturalist Ray described the Irish Wolfhound 

 as the greatest dog he had ever seen, surpassing in size 

 even the molossus (Mastiff), and being similar in all 

 respects to the common Greyhound. Riedinger figured it 

 in 1720. At that time and later the Irish Wolfhound was 

 evidently being crossed with the Great Dane, the Mastiff and 

 other dogs, for the pure race was becoming scarce. A few 

 gentlemen preserved them. Goldsmith commenting in 

 1770 on this fact said that the largest of them he had seen 

 was about four feet high, or as tall as a calf of a year old. 

 It was extremely like a Greyhound, but more robust and 

 white in colour. Wolves had then become extinct in 

 Ireland, but in Spain these fierce creatures were still hunted 

 with the Irish Wolfhound. 



The dog described b}^ Lambert (Transactions Linnean 

 Society, London, 1797), probably was one of the hybrids 

 alluded to, for its figure is more like that of a Mastiff than 

 of the hound mentioned by those who knew him intimately. 

 Captain Graham considered Lambert's dog to be a 

 degenerate specimen of the Great Dane.^^ According to some 

 authorities the true Wolfhound had become extinct about 

 this time, but Richardson, Graham, and Father Hogan all 

 agree that the type survived until the next century. The 

 Irish Wolfhound Club carries on the task of keeping up the 

 stock of the old breed, and its secretary, Mr. John F. Baily, 

 who kindly allowed me to examine a copy of Graham's 

 book, and who has studied the problem for many years, is 

 in full agreement with Richardson, Graham, and others, that 

 the modem breed corresponds in all essentials with the old 

 one. In the earlier part of this paper I have already com- 

 mented on Father Hogan 's opinion that the Irish word 

 cu was applied to this breed of dog. Originally of many 

 shades, although white was the favourite hue, the Wolf- 

 is Graham, G. A. : " The Irish Wolfhound." Dursley, 1885. 



