THE STAGHOUND 675 



tinued and essential assistance, is part of his moral 

 duty." 



SECTION I. DOGS OF THE CHASE. 



THE STAGHOUND. 



The staghound is now the largest and most power- 

 ful of all the dogs which go under the general denomi- 

 nation of hound. He is held in higher estimation 

 than any other dog of the chase, and has a most 

 commanding and dignified aspect. 



The staghounds, exclusively devoted to that sport 

 in the royal establishment in this country, it is well 

 known, are an improved breed, produced by a cross 

 between the old English southern-hound, and the 

 fleeter foxhound, grafted upon the bloodhound. 



It has been asserted by the most celebrated 

 naturalists, that the hound, harrier, turnspit, water- 

 dog, and spaniel, are all sprung from the same race ; 

 and there seems to be strong reasons for believing 

 this to be the case, as their forms and instinctive 

 properties are nearly allied in all these kinds : the 

 principal difference consisting in the length of their 

 legs and the size of their ears, which are in all of them 

 soft in their texture and pendulous. The head is 

 large, broad, and shorter in proportion than that of 

 the foxhound, with wider nostrils, and the hams more 

 muscular, and he carries his tail high, whether at 

 rest or in the chase. The hound and harrier are 

 supposed to be natives of Britain, France, and 

 Germany ; an opinion which is attended with some 

 degree of reason, for when transported to warmer 

 climates they degenerate. 



It seems extremely probable that this large, strong, 

 and bony hound was the primeval stock from which 



