692 MANUAL OF MODERN FARRIERY. 



the principal difference consisting in the length of their 

 legs and the size of their ears, which are in all of them soft 

 in their texture and pendulous. The head is large, broad, 

 and shorter in proportion than that of the foxhound, 

 with wider nostrils, and the hams more muscular, and he 

 carries his tail high, whether at rest or in the chase. The 

 hound and harrier are supposed to be natives of Britain, 

 France, and Germany ; an opinion which is attended with 

 some degree of reason, for when transported to warmer 

 climates thej degenerate. 



It seems extremely probable that this large, strong, and 

 bony hound was the primeval stock from which all the col- 

 lateral branches of this race have descended ; and that all 

 deviations from the original stem have been the result of 

 crosses and improvements during many centuries, by those 

 skilled in breeding and rearing dogs of the chase, and varied 

 in size and strength, according to the particular sport for 

 which they were intended. At the present day, it is well 

 known that the practical breeder, by judicious crosses, can 

 either enlarge or diminish the stature and strength of his 

 pack in the course of three or four generations. 



The following fact affords a striking proof of the wonder- 

 ful spirit of the staghound in supporting a continuance of 

 exertion. Many years since, a very large and powerful stag 

 was turned out at Whinfield Park, in the county of West- 

 moreland, and was pursued by the hounds till, by fatigue or 

 accident, the whole pack was thrown out, except two stanch 

 and favourite dogs, which continued the chase the greatest 

 part of the day. The stag returned to the park from whence 

 he set out, and, as his last effort, leapt the wall, and imme- 

 diately expired. One of the hounds pursued him to the wall, 

 but being unable to get over, lay down and almost instantly 

 died ; the other was found dead at a little distance. 



