BLOODHOUND 



be carefully washed and dried, after which it may be 

 dressed with boracic ointment. (See Bandaging^ Bucket- 

 muzzle, Muzzles^ 



Bloodhound. — It is greatly to be regretted that this 

 picturesque variety of hound should be in so few hands, 

 as were he to be better understood, his merits would be 

 appreciated as they deserve, and absurdly exaggerated 

 stories of his ferocity would not be circulated as they 

 often are. No doubt the bloodhound is not exactly a 

 dog for a child to play with in all instances, but his 

 name is derived from his remarkable powers as a tracker, 

 and not because of the savageness of his disposition. The 

 bloodhound is practically identical with the St. Hubert 

 hound of France, a breed which for centuries has been 

 valued by the huntsmen of that country ; but English 

 bloodhound owners do not use their hounds as the con- 

 tinental sportsmen do, probably because the opportunities 

 are not forthcoming. At the same time, it may be ob- 

 served that there have been such things as bloodhound 

 packs used in this country for hunting purposes within, 

 comparatively speaking, recent years, and of these that 

 hunted by the late Lord Wolverton was by far the most 

 famous. 



The head of the bloodhound is long and very narrow, 

 heavily wrinkled, and tapering slightly from the strongly 

 pronounced occipital protuberance, or peak, towards the 

 muzzle, which is of considerable depth. The eyes are very 

 deeply sunk and small ; they also show the red haw or 

 inner membrane at the corners, and appear diamond- 

 shaped — this in a great measure being due to the weight of 

 the flews or skin of the lips, and they should be of a hazel 

 colour, a yellow eye, though often seen, being objection- 

 able. The ears, which are fine in texture, should be set on 

 low. They are very long, so long indeed that the ends lap 

 over if brought together in front of the animal's nose, and 

 they should lie close to the sides of the head, with the 



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