SPORTING AND GUARD DOGS 



clumsy body, its long protruding snout, the shape of its head, 

 and its short, erect tail." The dogs, galloping ventre a terre, 

 are described by Laufer as greyhounds, but the tail of the 

 conventional representation is thick, and the body too sturdy 

 for such a breed, which, moreover, would be a type light 

 for the hunting of game of such weight as the boar. Laufer 

 suggests that the four scenes on the first * of these relief- 

 bands illustrate consecutive stages of the same chase, thus 

 describing the story of the same dog pursuing and finally 

 reaching the same boar in four scenes, which thus become a 

 " moving-picture." 



The second f Han relief-band illustrates tigers, with well- 

 defined black stripes, in flying gallop and trotting. A rider 

 on horseback, shooting with bow and arrow, a galloping hound 

 in pursuit, and what may be a hare or a deer. Laufer describes 

 this scene as a greyhound hunting a hare " characterized un- 

 mistakably by his long, upright ears and short tail." The so- 

 called greyhound, however, has a thick neck, sturdy body, and 

 broad tail. 



A third relief-band J also represents a " galloping grey- 

 hound." Another of the same period includes three hounds 

 ' hunting stags, two of them unfortunately much effaced, 

 but the other so happily drawn, with its long, pointed head, 

 big breast, and thin loins, that it is unmistakable." 



A fifth band || includes tigers and what are apparently 

 dogs having short, erect tails, short legs, and of build much 

 more sturdy than those hitherto shown. 



Though it is not possible to define the exact points of these 

 early varieties of the canine race these Han potteries, in 

 addition to their vivid interest as artistic studies, certify to the 

 fact that pursuit of the tiger, the wild-boar, the deer, and of 



* " Chinese Pottery of the Han Dynasty," Laufer, plate xlvi. 



f Ibid., plate xlviii. J Ibid., plate xlix Ibid., plate 1. H Ibid., plate Hi. 



57 



