DOG-BREEDING 



the Lord rides a-fowling across the plains you will see this 

 big hunt come tearing up, one pack after a bird, and another 

 pack with a stag or some other beast, as it may hap, and 

 running the game down, now on this side and now on that, 

 so that it is really a most delightful sport and spectacle." * 



The Ming Emperors devoted too much of their time to the 

 breeding of cats. One of the eunuchs registered a protest 

 against the practice, complaining that the cats were so noisy 

 that the Imperial children were caused to sicken and die. He 

 remarks that the cats should have been confined to special 

 quarters, and suggests that the Emperors encouraged their 

 sons to interest themselves in the breeding of cats and pigeons 

 because, surrounded by eunuchs and women, they might fail 

 to realize the importance of rearing children. 



Critics of Chinese success in dog-breeding may point to 

 the absence of high development of powers of scent in 

 Chinese dogs. It must be remembered, however, that the 

 British pointer is a dog of modern times, produced since 

 1650, derived from a foreign race, the development of whose 

 powers has resulted from careful selection, and whose very 

 existence is due to the fowling-piece. As evidenced by 

 mention of sporting dogs in the " Book of Rites," written in 

 the seventh century B.C., the Chinese vie with the Romans 

 for the honour of being the first to record use of the dog in 

 the chase. ' The first hint of the employment of the dog in 

 the pursuit of other animals is given by Oppian in his 

 " Cynegetica." He attributes it to Pollux about 200 years 

 after promulgation of the Levitical law." f 



Breeds have become stable in England only in recent years 

 with the fixing of standards and the use of shows, started in 

 London in 1836 J and almost accidentally at Newcastle in 



* " Marco Polo," Yule. f Encyclopedia Britannica, " The Dog." 



J " Toy Dogs and their Ancestors," p. 100. 



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