THE STAG-HOUND. 189 



less, have much of the same aspect, and are nearly 

 all marked with three similarly distributed colours. 

 The old Southern-hound was, or we should rather 

 say is, remarkable for a very fine deep-toned voice, 

 and in this respect is quite distinct from the blood- 

 hound. 



THE STAG-HOUND, 

 PLATE XXXI., Fig. 1, 



WAS a large and stately animal, equal, or little less 

 than the blood-hound, and originally, like that race, 

 slow, sure, cautious, and steady. Markham, who 

 wrote in the time of James i. describes the stag- 

 hound of his time with evident knowledge of the 

 Venerie de J agues du Fouiltoux : these dogs were 

 then rufous spotted, or glaucous, and hunted in 

 close packs under excellent command. The modem 

 hound is perhaps still handsomer, though somewhat 

 smaller, and the breed having been crossed with 

 the fox-hound, is now much faster. They have a 

 large rather short head, with a wide nose, loose, 

 hanging, broad, and long ears, muscular hams, 

 round small feet, and a rush tail carried high.* 



* Ancient representations of Stag-hounds often have very 

 small drooping ears, much like the figure of the Lymmer in the 

 antique paintings of Egypt. 



