•MIK HOUNDS. 277 



white ; (lie hiMnilt^ color is a golden law 11. Il is a |)rc;tly liltl(; creature, 

 very active ami j^raccliil, and l)y no means devoid ot alfcctioii. It is 

 cliielly !)re<l in Spain and ttaly. 



THE HOUNDS. 



Tlie F-NCi.isii SiA(i I lonNi) is cxlnincly laic. It was a cross l)etvveen 

 the Bloodlionnd and llu; Grcylionnd \vi(li a dash oi llie l'"ox-lioii!i(l, hut 

 the (InfT now used in luij^land is simply a larjj^c breed oi I''ox lionnd. 



'riie Im)X I lodNI) I i'lale XV, is llic result of two centuries ol ( arelul 

 1)1 (•(•diu}^, conducted ic^ardless ol expense and under llie j^uichmce ol 

 ^reat judj^mcnl. I5(( klord describees tin- pcrlcci Mound llius: " Let his 

 lef^s be straight, his leet lound and nol loo large, his breast wide, liis 

 chest deep, his back broad, his head small, n('ck thin, tail thick and 

 bushy"; to which ouf^ht to Ix; adrled, "llur thi^h Ion;,'-, (lu; bark ribs 

 deep." I lis lii-i;;lil varies lion 1 I w ml y lo I went y li\(' inches, and a larj^er 

 or smaller breed is chosen accordinj^ i,, the (pmiily ol Ihe (onnlry in 

 which it is enifjloyed. The P'ox-hound lias excellent sceni, is swill ol 

 foot, ancl |)erseveriii}^ in (•haracter. In a trial at New Markel, a h'ox- 

 hound ran loin miles, one liiilon^', an<l one hundred and Ihiilylwo 

 yards in eij;ht minules and a lew seconds. 



The I Iakkiiik, so calhul because it is employed in hunliiif; the hare, 

 is nothiufif el.se than a small Fox-honiid, standin/i^ about ei),dileen inches 

 hij.jh. Me re(|iiii-es a more delicale S( cnl ihaii ihe l''ox-!iound in older 

 to lollow Ihe doubles oi I he hare, and is poss(!SSed of a more musical nole. 

 IJotii tiie l''ox-hound and llu' llarrier iiuist be lookeil on not as indi- 

 viduals, but :is componenl pails ol a pack; and lience an animal invaluable 

 in one, will be inadiiiissilile in aiiolhei pai k. 



The I5|';A(;i,I'; is smaller than Ihe Mairi(!r, staiidinj^ abimt rourteen 

 inches hifjh, with a body ( omparalively stouter. The IJea^de has no 

 great speed, and is loiiowcd on lool ; hence his chief poini is his hij^lily 

 cleveloi)ed powers of scent and sagacity in tracking the hare. A dwarf 

 variety is used for himtiiig rabbits ; 1he.se Meagles are sometimes sf) sin.ill 

 that a whole pack can be carried in hampers on a horse. The Koiuwi 

 BKAfJl.l". is a cross with the Terri( r, and has lost the lie.iglc's longiie. 



The On'KK Hound or \Vi;i.sii Makuikk is a Harrier wliich, by careful 

 selection, has been adapted lo hunt the hard-biting otter. He is hardy, 

 courageous, and unusually savage. When he bites he does not retain 



