THE GREYHOUND. 



The beautiful Persian Greyhound is rather slender in make, and its ears 

 are " feathered" after the fashion of the Blenheim spaniel's ears. Nevertheless, 

 it is a powerful and bold crcatm-e, and can hold its own among any 

 assemblage of Dogs of its own weight. 



A MORE utter contrast to the al)o^•e-mentioned animals can hardly be imagined 

 than that which is afforded by the Italian Greyhound, a little creature whose 

 merit consists in its diminutive proportions and its slender limbs. 



It is only fitted for the companionship of luxurious owners, and is a tender 

 and delicate creature, shiveiing at every blast of wind, and needing warm 

 wrappers whenever it ventm'es into the air on a cold day. 



In truth, tlie Italian Greyhound is but a dwarfed example of the true smooth 

 Greyhound, dwarfed after the same manner that delights our Celestial friends, 

 when tried on vegetable instead of animal life. The weight of a really good 

 Italian Greyhound ought not to exceed eight or ten pounds ; and there are 

 animals of good shape which only weigh six or seven pounds. One of the most 

 perfect Dogs of the present day weighs eight and three-quarter pounds, and is 

 fourteen and a quarter inches in height. 11 is colour is uniformly hhick. 



Attempts have been made to employ the Italian Greyhound in the chase of 

 rabbits, but its power of jaw and endurance of character are so disproportioned 

 to its speed, that all such endeavours have faik>d. A mixed breed, l)ctween the 

 Italian Greyhound and the ten-ier, is useful enough, combining endurance with 

 speed, and perfectly capable of chasing and holding a rabbit. 



In this country it is only used as a petted companion, and takes rank among 

 the " toy-dogs," being subject to certain arbitraiy rules of colom* and form, which 

 may render a Dog worthless for one year through the very same qualities which 

 would make it a paragon of perfection in another. 



It is a pretty little creature, active and graceful to a degree, and affectionate to 

 those who know how to win its affections. Even in the breed of our British 

 smooth Greyhounds, this little animal has been successfully employed, and by a 

 careful admixture with the larger Dog, takes away the heavy, clmnsy aspect of 

 the head which is caused by the bull-dog alliance, and restores to the offspring 

 the elastic grace of the original Greyhound. It is generally bred in Spahi and 

 Italy, and from thence imported into this country, where the change of climate 

 is so apt to afllx't its lungs, that its owners are forced to keep it closely swathed 

 in warm clothing during the changeable months of the year. 



96 



