1924. ScHARFF — On the Breeds of Dogs peculiar to Ireland. 85 



The Mastiff (Irish maistin) was probably brought to 

 this country in comparatively recent times, for the Irish 

 word is modern. It is an English breed, but the ancestor 

 is stated by some to owe its introduction in England to 

 .the Normans. Leighton, however, looks upon it as the oldest 

 of the native British dogs, and suggests its having been 

 brought to England by the Phoenicians as early as 6th 

 century B.C. The word Mastiff has possibly been derived 

 from the Latin mastinus, while the Irish term may 

 have been borrowed direct from the Spanish mastin}^ 



Having now dealt with a few preliminary considerations 

 concerning domestic dogs in Ireland, we can proceed to the 

 discussion of the breeds peculiar to Ireland and endeavour 

 to trace their origin. At the present time the following 

 breeds are regarded as endemic in this covmtry : 



Irish ^^'olfhound, 

 Irish Terrier, 

 Kerry Beagle, 

 Irish Water Spaniel, 

 Irish Setter. 



I have arranged them approximately according to the date 

 of their origin, but we have no reason to suppose that the 

 modern Irish Terrier, for example, was exactly like the 

 Terrier in ancient Ireland. We can only afftrm that 

 this t3/pe of dog was then present, although we know very 

 little of the shape, size or colour that it possessed in the 

 distant past. It is not my intention in the following 

 notes on the Irish breeds to dwell at length on the general 

 characters of the breeds. Any of the numerous books on 

 dogs will supply that want. What will be more useful is a 

 short resume of the history of the breeds as far as can be 

 ascertained, and any other observations not available in 

 books of reference. 



The Irish Wolfhound. 



A good deal of mystery is attached to this dog, and 

 some people actually believe that, like the Irish Elk, it 

 became extinct long ago . But since no less than two books 



1^ Leighton, Robert: "The Complete Book of the Dog." London, 1922. 



