HISTORICAL NOTES 31 



England, while the Henry strain was started by 

 importation in America. Washington's hounds, 

 like those of most of the Virginia gentry, were 

 importations from England and Ireland, which, 

 when worked in this country under our own con 

 ditions, gave rise to a faster, rangier type of dog, 

 more suited to our own country, and selection 

 from their descendants gave rise to the type 

 American foxhound, now recognised as distinct 

 from the English, and not judged from the same 

 standards. This breed, and the development from 

 it of the coonhounds, will be treated in the chap 

 ter on WhoVWho in Fur Dogs. 



The beagle is a very old breed of hounds, being 

 first mentioned in 1475, when he was, as now, the 

 poor man's dog for coursing rabbits. In America 

 he is an institution, for no better rabbit dog ever 

 lived, and we use him for all small game as the 

 terrier is used in England. In 1558 the beagle had 

 become well patronised by royalty and was painted 

 by court painters, so that we know his type to have 

 been already well established, a small hound with 

 long, drooping ears, short pudgy body and throaty 

 neck. Queen Elizabeth had a kennel of them, and 

 one hundred years later George the Third (well 

 beloved of these American colonists) had a paint 

 ing made of himself with his beagle pack. They 



