THE GREYHOUND. 



BY COL. ROGER D. WILLIAMS. 



jf| T is not my intention to trace the history of the Grey- 

 hound from his origin, through his gradual improve- 

 /il ment and development, up to the present state of 

 perfection. Nor shall I repeat all the arguments that 

 have been advanced by other writers as to the origin and 

 the derivation of the name of this breed; yet a few lines 

 may not be amiss as to his early history. The exact date 

 of the origin of the Greyhound is unknown, but represen- 

 tations upon Egyptian monuments, tombs, and obelisks 

 prove beyond perad venture his existence over three thou- 

 sand years ago. According to Holinshed, the breed was 

 first introduced into Britain during the third century. 

 Other authorities, probably not as reliable, claim as early 

 as B. C. 25. 



Arrian, writing in his Cynegetticus, about A. D. 150, 

 describes coursing in many of its details. Thus it will 

 be seen that this sport is of great antiquity at least seven- 

 teen hundred years old. 



The early Egyptians had several breeds of dogs, but the 

 Greyhounds were evidently always their favorites. They 

 looked upon them with great veneration, and the death of 

 one of them was lamented as a misfortune. With them 

 they were considered a valuable animal, and occupied a 

 conspicuous place in their households and traditions. 



Herodotus has recorded that when a Greyhound died, 

 all the members of the family to whom he belonged shaved 

 their heads, and the body of the dog was buried in conse- 

 crated ground. In olden times, none but the nobility were 

 allowed to own Greyhounds; and the killing of one, under 

 the then existing game laws, was punishable with death. 



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