46 DOMESTICATED HUNTING-DOGS. 



to be gainei from it. Nevertheless, I sliould always discard a very 

 soft woolly coat as ueiu^ an evidence of a weak constitution, uj-^ble 

 to bear exposure to weather, and, on tiiat account, unlit for the 

 purposes of the courser. The old breeds were, many of them, 

 very bald about the cheeks and thighs, and this used to be consid- 

 ered a mark of good blood ; but, since the intermixture of the 

 rough greyhound, most of our best sorts have been free from 

 this peculiarity, and many of them have had hard rough coats, 

 quite unlike the fine and thin hair, which was formerly so highly 

 piized. My own impression is in favor of a firm, glossy, and 

 somewhat greasy-feeling, coarse coat, which stands wetting well, 

 and at the same time looks healthy and handsome to the eye. 



The relative value of these several points varies a good deal 

 from those of dogs whose breeding can chiefiy be arrived at by 

 external signs — e.g., the stern, color, and co::t in the pointer and 

 setter. Here the pedigree is well known for many generations ; 

 and therefore, although the breeding may be guessed at from the 

 appearance of the individual, it is far better to depend upon the 

 evidence afforded by the Coursing Calendar, or if that is not forth- 

 coming, to avoid having anything to do with breeding from the 

 strain. I quote : 



"In measuring a dog, I should take only the following points, 

 which should be nearly of the proportions here given in one of 

 average size : 



" Principal points : Hight at the shoulder, 25 in. ; length from 

 shoulder point to apex of last rib, 15 in. ; length of apex of last 

 rib to back of buttock, 13 in. to 15 in. ; length from front of thigh 

 round buttock to front of other thigh, 21 in. 



*' But to be more minute, it is as well to measure also the subor- 

 dinate points as under: Circumference of bead between eyes and 

 ears, 14^^ in. to 15 in. ; length of neck, 9 in, to 10 in. ; circumfer- 

 ence of chest, 28 in. to 30 in. in condition ; length of arm, 9 in. ; 

 length of knee to the ground, 4^ in. ; circumference of the loin, 

 18 in. to 19 in., in running condition ; length of upper thigh,10^ in. ; 

 lower thigh, 11 in.; and leg from hock to ground, 5^ in. to 6 in. 



" In taking these measurements, the fore legs should, as nearly 



