22 British Dogs. 



the side walls of the skull how the brain capacity is diminished, and how 

 the elongation and narrowing of head and jaws have almost obliterated the 

 olfactory organs, the internal cavities becoming contracted and presenting 

 so much less surfare that the scenting powers are necessarily limited, 

 although it is a mistake to suppose that they are entirely lost. This is 

 just what we want in the greyhound ; he must run by sight, never using 

 his nose ; he must have the brain developed where it shows courage, 

 not intelligence. When a retriever has to puzzle out a lost bird, his 

 nose and his intelligence are both put to the test, and the higher the 

 development, the better the dog, and as we find the intellectual faculties 

 highest in those dogs with most brain before the ears, so we select our 

 retrievers thus formed ; but as this would be a disadvantage in the grey- 

 hound, which we want to run honest and fair, such as Justice Shallow, 

 in the "Merry Wives of Windsor," describes 



He is a good dog and a fair dog ; 



Can there be more said he is good and/az> 



we select them without this intellectual development, by use of which 

 they would soon study the wiles and shifts of " poor Wat," and, to save 

 their wind and legs, " run cunning " that is, do a " waiting race," the 

 cunning dog allowing his fellow to do the work, whilst he hangs back for 

 the hare to be turned into his mouth. A greyhound should measure well 

 round the head, across and at back of ears, which is a sure indication of 

 the courage that gives dash and persistence to their efforts. 



By " hooked nose," I presume Arrian to mean that the upper jaw 

 protrudes ; but that would decidedly be a fault, as a dog so formed 

 would be at a disadvantage in holding and killing his hare. This forma- 

 tion, called overshot, or pig-jawed, is often met with in various breeds of 

 dogs, but if at all excessive it is most objectionable. The opposite to 

 that is sometimes seen, and we have them undershot ; but such cases are . 

 comparatively rare, and owe their origin to the cross with the bulldog, 

 which has been resorted to to give stamina, courage, and staunchness to 

 the greyhound ; but the form to be desired is the level mouth with the 

 " good sessours one again the other." 



The teeth themselves are important ; they should be large, strong, and 

 white, the fangs sharp and powerful ; this is not only necessary for their 

 work, but it is always a sign of health. 



"The eye," Arrian says, "should be large, upraised, clear, and 



