The Skye Terrier. 305 



burrows the foxes, polecats, and numerous vermin 

 which infested the wilds of the Argyllshire high- 

 lands. 



" Mr. Clark states that such was the condition of 

 the districts with which he was associated, that even 

 within his own knowledge sheep could not be kept 

 at large on the hills, until the landlords and farmers 

 clubbed together in each district and appointed a 

 man as foxhunter, who was paid a sum by each 

 farmer according to the number of sheep kept. 

 This functionary kept a pack of small terriers of 

 from i2lb. to i61b. weight, and a couple of luath- 

 choin (swift dogs), either staghounds or foxhounds. 



" The foxhunter and his terriers were constantly 

 on the move over his district, and when a shepherd 

 found a dead lamb, supposed to have been destroyed 

 by a fox, he at once set out for this nomadic 

 individual, and by daylight next morning the fox- 

 hunter and shepherds were on the ground with the 

 dogs. On the hounds finding the scent they were 

 uncoupled, and on " starting " the fox went off in 

 full cry. The fox generally sought refuge in a 

 burrow or cairn. The services of the terriers were 

 then brought into requisition, and when let loose they 

 rushed in to do battle, cheered on by the hunter's 

 u Staigh sin ! " Many a good terrier has met his 

 coup de grace while engaged in these subterranean 



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