514 MODERN FARRIER. 



as arrows : his feet round, and not too brge ; his 

 shoulders back ; his breast rather v* ide than naiTo\v ; 

 his chest deep; his back broad; his head small; his 

 neck than ; his tail thick and bushy, and if he carry- 

 it well, so much the better. 



From the number of years so em.ulously employed 

 by sporting amateurs in the improvement of this 

 breed, we may naturally conclude that it has now at- 

 tained the summit of perfection, and that no country 

 ^n Europe can boast of fox-hounds equal in strength, 

 agility, and speed, to those of Great Britain. 



42. The Greyhound. 



The greyhound is of a beautiful and delicate 

 formation for speed and majestic attraction, and, 

 under the ancient name of gazehound, formed one 

 of the earliest dogs of the chase. He was the origi- 

 nal companion of royalty in the sports of the field ; 

 and in lieu of fines and forfeitures to the crown, 

 king John was wont to accept of gazehounds. It is 

 observed by the llev. W. B. Daniel, that the grey- 

 hound in aiicient times was considered as a very 

 valuable present, and particularly to the ladies, to 

 whom a compliment, so intrinsically estimated, was 

 singularly acceptable. 



The deer, fox, and hare, have each been coursed 

 by greyhounds, according to the fashion of the peo- 

 ple, and the custom of the times ; the two former 

 are now seldom or never resorted to ; but in pursuit 

 of the hare, the energetic velocity of the greyhound 

 still affords delight. In shape, make, and form, it is 

 a beautiful and delicate animal, and is universally 

 allowed to be the fleetest of the canine species. 



It is not recorded why or when the name of grey- 

 hound was adopted, though it is evidently certain, 

 that gazehound was the original name, in allusion 

 to its running by sight, and not by scent. 



No obstacles whatever can restrain the invincible 

 ardour and determined progress of the greyhound ; 



