THE IRISH WOLFHOUND. 



161 



restored to a semblance of the original 

 type. 



At the time when he entered into the 

 controversy, Captain Graham had been 

 actively interesting himself for something 

 like a score of years in the resuscitation 

 of the breed, and his patience had been 



rough material the majestic breed that 

 holds so prominent a position to-day. 



There is little to be gathered from ancient 

 writings concerning the size and appear- 

 ance of the Irish Wolfhounds in early times. 

 Exaggerated figures are given as to height 

 and weight ; but all authorities agree that 



MRS. PERCY SHEWELL'S CH. COTSWOLD 



BY CH. O'LEARY PRINCESS PATRICIA OF CONNAUGHT. 



Photograph by Holloway, Cheltenham. 



well rewarded. By the year 1881 the Irish 

 Wolfhound had been practically restored, 

 although it has taken close upon a quarter 

 of a century to produce the magnificent 

 champions Cotswold and Cotswold Patricia, 

 which are such brilliant examples of the 

 modern breed — a brace of Wolfhounds who 

 bear living testimony to the vast amount 

 of energy and perseverance which Captain 

 Graham and his enthusiastic colleague Major 

 Gamier have displayed in evolving from 



they were impressively large and imposing 

 dogs, and that they were regarded as the 

 giants of the canine race. Oliver Goldsmith, 

 himself an Irishman and also a student 

 of natural history, wrote of dogs in 1770 

 or thereabout : — 



" The last variety, and the most wonder- 

 ful of all that I shall mention, is the Great 

 Irish Wolfdog, that may be considered as 

 the first of the canine species. He is ex- 

 tremely beautiful and majestic in appear- 



