THE SCOTCH DEERHOUND 123 



referens that Gruamach, in his old age, was killed and eaten by 

 his kennel companions ! This is the worst blot on the Deerhound's 

 character that I ever knew, and is almost incredible. In con- 

 versation, some years after, with the kennelman who had charge of 

 the dogs at the time, he repeated the circumstance, with particulars. 

 It appears that Gruamach had been the master of the kennel so 

 long, that his younger companions rose one night in a body against 

 his tyranny, and treated him as I have described. 



Perhaps the happiest hit ever known in breeding show Deer- 

 hounds was made by my friend Mr. Pershouse Parkes when he 

 sent Brenda, the own sister to Morni, to Mr. Musters's Torunn. 

 The one litter contained such noted dogs as Mr. Musters's Torunn 

 (the Younger), Mr. H. P. Parkes's champion bitch Teeldar, Lord St. 

 Leonard's Hylda, and Mr. Lewis's Meg, all great winners on the 

 show-bench at Birmingham and the other large shows. In addition 

 to this, their blood, or that of their near relative Morni, is to be 

 found in nearly every show dog of the present day. 



As an example of the uncertainty in choosing a puppy in dogs 

 like the Deerhound, it may be mentioned that Morni and his sister 

 Brenda were the two selected by their breeder for weeding out 

 from a litter of six. I selected the dog for a small sum, and the 

 bitch was given away to a friend. The one grew up into Champion 

 Morni, the most successful show dog of his day, though he retired 

 at six years old ; and the other became the dam and ancestress of 

 more prize winners than any other bitch that can be mentioned. 

 Such is luck. Allowance must be made for the fond prejudice of 

 ownership, and perhaps a discount taken off accordingly ; but I 

 cannot call to mind a dog that combined in a greater degree than 

 Morni the qualities of symmetry and strength : of a good height, 

 and a greater proportionate length than is usually seen, he neverthe- 

 less possessed an extremely deep chest and enormous loin, with a 

 wonderful breadth of hindquarters, a grand forearm, and yet withal 

 a perfect Greyhound frame. There was, moreover, that appearance 

 of quality and character which is so wanting in some specimens 

 nowadays. One fault was ever found with him viz. that his coat 

 was too soft ; but that arose from the way he was treated, in being 

 made a pet of. Had he been kept out in a kennel, and roughed 

 it, the coat would have been hard enough ; and, as it was, it was 

 hardness itself to that of most of the prize winners we have seen 

 since. Morni had but fevv chances given him at the stud, his 

 services being only allowed to a select few. He was chiefly used 

 by a gentleman who bred dogs for work alone, and the few of his 

 progeny that have found their way on to the show-bench have been 

 odd dogs out of such litters. Nevertheless, every dog but one by 

 him that has been shown has been a prize winner ; and, what is 

 more, the pups that were bred for work all showed themselves 



