THE GREYHOUND. 163 



A general impression prevails that the Greyhound is a 

 timid animal, lacking heart and courage. This may be true 

 of some strains of the breed; but could the reader have 

 ridden several courses with me at meetings of the American 

 Coursing Club which I have judged, and have seen Grey- 

 hounds, as I have seen them, run until their hind legs 

 refused to propel them farther, and then crawl on their 

 breasts after a thoroughly used-up jack-rabbit but a few 

 feet in advance, the singing and whistling in their 

 throats audible at fifty yards literally in the last gasp 

 of death, trying to reach their prey he or she would agree 

 with me in crediting them with both the qualities men- 

 tioned. 



In hunting the antelope it is not an uncommon thing to 

 see a Greyhound, especially in hot weather, continue the 

 chase until he drops and dies before his master reaches him. 

 An uninjured antelope is capable of giving any Greyhound 

 all the work he can stand, and unless the latter is in prime 

 condition, his chances are poor indeed to throttle. A pecul- 

 iar feature of the Greyhound is that he -always attacks 

 large game in the throat, head, or fore part of the body. 

 I have even seen them leave the line of the jack-rabbit to 

 get at his throat. 



Old " California Joe," at onetime chief of scouts with 

 General Custer, in 1875 owned a grand specimen of the 

 Greyhound, called Kentuck, presented to him by General 

 Custer. I saw this dog seize and throw a yearling bull 

 buffalo, and the former was then dragged on his back over 

 rough stones, trampled and pawed until his ears were split, 

 two ribs broken, and neck and fore shoulders frightfully cut 

 and lacerated, yet he never released his hold until a Sharps 

 rifle bullet through the heart of the buffalo ended the 

 unequal struggle. Talk about a lack of courage ! What 

 Mastiff, Bulldog, or Great Dane could excel in courage 

 Old Kentuck ? 



I have seen many a Greyhound, single-handed and alone, 

 overhaul and tackle a coyote, and, in a pack, have seen 

 them close in and take hold of a timber wolf or a mountain 



