92 ANECDOTES OF ANIMALS. 



to render them impatient under the privation, go to 

 distant lands, and there perform feats worthy of the 

 mighty hunter ; but it is neither with hawk nor hound, 

 and before many generations have passed, our beauti- 

 ful race of hunting dogs will exist but in name. 



There are more varieties of these hounds than I can 

 here enumerate ; but all possess a larger development 

 of brain than the greyhound ; their nose is broader as 

 well as the jaws ; their ears are large and hanging ; 

 their tail is raised and truncated ; and they have a firm, 

 bold, and erect gait, an appearance of strength, inde- 

 pendence, and (if I may be allowed to use the expres- 

 sion) candour, which is vainly looked for in other dogs. 

 They came to us from the East, probably at a late* 

 period than those dogs which more resemble the wolf. 



The once esteemed Bloodhound is now rare ; and I 

 copy Mr. Bell's description of the breed, and who is in 

 possession of his namesake : ' They stand twenty- eight 

 inches high at the shoulder; the muzzle broad and 

 full ; the upper lip large and pendulous ; the vertex of 

 the head protuberant ; the expression stern, thoughtful, 

 and noble; the breast broad; the limbs strong and 

 muscular ; and the original colour a deep tan, with large 

 black clouds. They are silent when following their 

 scent ; and in this respect differ from other hounds, who 

 are generally gifted with fine deep voices. Numbers, 

 under the name of sleuth-hounds, used to be kept on 

 the Borders ; and kings and troopers, perhaps equally 

 marauders, have in olden tunes found it difficult to 

 evade them. The noble Bruce had several narrow 

 escapes from them ; and the only sure way to destroy 

 their scent was to spill blood upon the track. In all 

 the common routine of life they are good-natured and 



