THE SCOTCH DEERHOUND 117 



as the use of the Deerhound in his native country is decreasing day 

 by day ; and in this fact we come to another of the chief causes 

 which have been prejudicial to the breed, and will be still more 

 so unless care be taken not to lose sight of the purpose for which 

 it was used. As soon as the Deerhound begins to be regarded 

 solely as a show dog, then will the breed be in imminent danger 

 of losing its character ; but as long as an animal is bred and used 

 for a practical purpose, so long can reference be made to the product 

 which is found best suited to such requirements. 



* Man,' says Darwin, ' closely imitates natural selection ' ; that 

 is, man in breeding Greyhounds for coursing, Deerhounds for 

 deerstalking, and St. Bernards for use in the snow, selects and 

 breeds from those specimens only which are likely to produce the 

 requisite combination of qualities for his purpose. Thus each 

 product becomes, as far as it can be, a naturally perfect animal 

 for the designed purpose, inasmuch as there is always being applied 

 the infallible criterion of utility and experience to test the results. 

 In each case, mere appearance or outward form has not been the 

 primary consideration with the breeder the essential qualities are 

 what he aims at; but, finding that those qualities are associated 

 with certain outward characteristics, he is guided by the latter in 

 his selection of breeding specimens. So each breed settles down 

 into a uniform type, and this is maintained by the most rigid of 

 all examiners experience. 



At this point, perhaps, in steps the fancier, or, the man who 

 takes up the breed rather from its appearance than its practical 

 qualities. At first he accepts what he finds, and does not get far 

 away from the proper type ; but presently, as he has no other means 

 of testing his results, he lays down certain rules or points for his 

 guidance, and very often attaches undue importance to some one 

 of these that readily strikes the eye, forcing it unduly to the expense 

 of, and out of its proper relation to, the rest ; and as he does not 

 apply the touchstone of a practical trial in its proper vocation to 

 his production, he errs more and more in the direction of his 

 arbitrary requirements, and the breed loses that harmony of com- 

 bined qualities which constituted its original ' character/ and 

 which had been kept in due relation by practical requirements. 



That the Deerhound has suffered considerably from a mania 

 for size is only too certain, and that it will suffer more yet is to be 

 feared, unless judges will set their faces against allowing themselves 

 to be influenced by mere size and bulk. In proof of my assertion, 

 subjoined is an extract from a letter received, some quarter of a 

 century ago, from a gentleman who bred and exhibited some of 

 the best specimens when shows were in their infancy : 



' Some twenty years ago, before shows began, there were two or 

 three owners of the breed, and a few dogs might be called pure. 



