THE OTTER-HOUND. 441 



haw very plainly, which causes it to have an appearance of red- 

 ness ; the ears very long, well spread out, and nicely turned, and 

 not puckered, fine in texture, in exxitement they ought not to be 

 carried up, but to hang tolerably near to the face ; upper jaw and 

 face inclined to be narrow ; flews thin and pendulous, almost so 

 that they could meet under the chin. The neck proportionately 

 long; the skin on the throat loose, slightly wrinkly; shoulders 

 powerful, not upright, but blades slightly slanting ; what we mean 

 is, not straight from the foot to front of shoulder; deep chest; 

 fore-legs muscular and straight ; feet round and cat-like ; back 

 not too long, thick, powerful and well ribbed up, short in loin ; 

 hind-quarters well set on, well furnished with good muscle ; stifles 

 not too long, but plenty of substance ; stern set in level with the 

 back-bone, pliant and tapering to the point, feathering or coarse- 

 ness a great fault. Color reddish tan, darkening into black as it 

 reaches the back. Some breeds show the body white flecked, 

 which many old breeders very much admire. The coat should be 

 short, glossy, and lie as close as a thoroughbred race-horse's ; 

 patches of white on chest or eet are objectionable ; height in 

 bitches twenty-seven inches, dogs twenty-nine inches, but two 

 inches over those heights, if proportionate, would rather be an ad- 

 vantage. Judging is not tied only to these points, as there is a 

 something in sight you cannot define, but can act on ; but, as a 

 whole, this we consider a pretty fair description of the main items 

 of a good animal. 



POINTS IN JUDGING. 



Head 25 



Neck 5 



Shoulders 15 



Legs 10 



Feet 5 



Back 10 



Loins IS 



Hind-quarters 10 



Stern 5 



THE OTTER-HOUND. 



There is something so dignified and noble about an otter-hound, 

 that if you once see a good one you will not soon forget him. 

 They are large dogs, and very muscular, as they well need be, and 

 good ones are rather scarce owing to various crosses. The head 

 is very grand in shape, " something between a fox-hound and 

 19* 



