11 THE COMMON GREYHOUND. 



Greyhound. The ancient Welsh had a saying, that 

 " a gentleman may be known by his hawk, his 

 Horse, and his Greyhound/' This Dog was con- 

 sidered as a valuable present, even amongst the 

 highest orders of society. In a very old metrical 

 romance, entitled Sir E glamor e, a princess tells the 

 knight, that, as an especial mark of her favour, 

 she would give him an excellent Greyhound, so 

 swift that no Deer could escape from his pursuit. 



" Syr yf you be on huntynge founde, 

 I shall you gyve a gude Greyhounde 



That ys dunne as a doo: 

 For as I am a trewe gentylwoman, 

 There was never Deer that he at ran, 



That might yseape him fro." 



In ancient times, Greyhounds were used to course 

 three kinds of animals; the Deer, the Fox, and the 

 Hare. The two former are never coursed at pre- 

 sent. The Dogs that were employed in coursing 

 the Fox were necessarily strong, hard-bitten animals, 

 that would seize any thing ; weaker Dogs would 

 soon have been spoiled by the keen gripe of the 

 Foxes. 



The variety called the Highland Greyhound, now 

 become extremely scarce, is of great size, strong, 

 deep chested, and covered with long and rough 

 hair. This kind was much esteemed in former 

 days, and was used by the powerful chieftains of 

 those times, in their magnificent hunting matches, 



The 



