SEASON 1895-96 281 



(1876). The Belvoir kennel is one family bred out 

 into branches that are by no means remote from 

 the parent tree, and the Gamblers come first for 

 consideration. Apart from the well-known colours, 

 far-famed legs and feet, they have remarkable sub- 

 stance, power, and weight in proportion to their 

 height, and their ribs have a tendency to be deep 

 rather than round. All the Gambler stock are 

 rather a long hound, low and level, with immense 

 muscular development and bone, brainy -looking 

 heads, whilst in the field their characteristics are 

 thorough trustworthiness, pace, and extreme stout- 

 ness ; they can hunt as well as gallop. A pack of 

 hounds like the Belvoir, which have been bred for 

 nose and sterling hunting qualities, will cover more 

 ground in less time than the most galloping lot 

 without it. The Shamrocks, 1887, a family largely 

 used with the Gamblers, give us another type of 

 hound, all throwing strong family likeness into 

 their get. A very gay family this, with punishing- 

 looking heads, rare necks and shoulders, depth of 

 girth, with not quite the power of the Gamblers 

 behind. Their depth of girth makes them appear 

 a trifle light in their back ribs, till you see the 

 cause of the deception. Rare hounds all of them 

 are in their work ! and two grand matrons of the 

 sort are Dahlia and Daphne (1891). 



Another group were the Pirates (1885). They 

 had not quite the Shamrock's length of neck or 

 quite the muscular development of the Gamblers, 

 but were a slashing powerful family, and fox- 

 catchers every inch of them. Prodigal and Painter 



