72 KEMIMSCENCES OF A SPORTSMAX. 



him, showed the greatest pleasure at being noticed, 

 and allowed himself to be fondled. His owner could not 

 disguise his astonishment. " You are the first person," 

 said he, " whom that dog would ever allow to touch him 

 without showing resentment. May I beg of you the fa- 

 vour to tell me your name?" mentioning his own name 

 at the same time. The stranger announced it ; he was 

 the last of his race, one of the most noble in Ireland, 

 and descended from one of its kings. " I do not wonder," 

 said the owner of the dog, "at the homage this animal 

 has paid to you. He recognises in you the descendant 

 of one of our most ancient race of gentlemen to whom 

 this breed of dogs almost exclusively belonged, and the 

 peculiar instinct he possesses has now been shown in a 

 manner which cannot be mistaken by me, who am so 

 well acquainted with the ferocity this dog has hitherto 

 shown to strangers." Few persons. Sir Walter Scott 

 excepted, would perhaps be inclined to give credit to 

 this anecdote. So convinced was he of the extraordinary 

 instinct exhibited by dogs generally, that he has been 

 heard to declare that he would believe anything of a 

 dog." 



The strength of these dogs must be very great. A 

 nobleman informed Mr. Jesse that when he was a boy 

 and staying with the Knight of Kerry, two Irish wolf- 

 dogs made their escape from the place in which they 

 were confined, and pulled down and killed a horse 

 which was in an adjoining paddock. Roderick, King 

 of Connaught, was obliged to furnish hawks and grey- 

 hounds of this breed to Henry II. Sir Thomas Kerr 

 obtained great favour with the Grreat Mogul, in 1615, 

 for a brace of greyhounds, (supposed to be the wolf-dog) 

 presented by him. Sir William Betham, speaking of 



