THE MEXICAN HAIRLESS DOG. 



BY ELROY FOOTE. 



UT little is known as to the origin of this breed, or 

 as to its history since that period, and the literature 

 of the subject seems to be comprised in the follow- 

 ing few references. G. R. Jesse, in his l ' Researches 



into the History of the British Bog," referring to the dogs 



of Buenos Ayres, says: 



There are also small dogs without hair, except on the head and tail, 

 which are shagged ; they are often companions of the ladies of the country. 



In his work on "The Dog," Youatt calls attention to 

 the vast difference between dogs of the same general type, 

 as illustrated in the members of the Greyhound family by 

 the Highland, English, and Italian Greyhound, and the 

 " small hairless one of Africa or Brazil." Again, in the 

 same work, we read that ' ' the Turkish Greyhound is a 

 small-sized hairless dog, or with only a few hairs on his 

 tail; never used in the field, and bred only as a spoiled 

 pet." 



Stonehenge quotes almost verbally from Youatt on the 

 same subject. 



Vero Shaw, in his fine work "The Book of the Dog," 

 in the chapter on the "Rampur Dog," says: 



This dog, we believe, made his first appearance in England on the return 

 of H. R. H. the Prince of Wales from his Indian tour. At all events, we 

 have no recollection of having seen any specimens of the Rampur Hound at 

 our dog shows, except at the Fakenham Dog Show of 1876. Only two 

 appeared; one was of a mouse-color, the other spotted, a sort of pink aud 

 blue, somewhat similar to young plum-pudding-colored pigs. In appearance, 

 the Rampur Dog somewhat resembles a small Deerhound, but his chief char- 

 acteristic is the absence of hair, which leaves his body smooth. We have, 

 however, been informed that since they have been in this country a little hair 

 has appeared upon these dogs. 



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