2l6 



THE NEW BOOK OF THE DOG. 



His glossy skin, or yellow-pied, or blue, 

 In lights or shades bv Nature's pencil drawn, 

 Reflects the various tints : his ears and legs 

 Flecked here and there, in gay enamelled pride, 

 Rival the speckled pard ; his rush-grown tail 

 O'er his broad back bends in an ample arch ; 

 On shoulders clean, upright, and firm he stands, 

 His round cat foot, strait hams, and wide-spread 



thighs, 

 And his low dropping chest, confess his speed, 

 His strength, his wind, or on the steepy hill, 

 Or far-extended plain ; in every part 

 So well proportioned that the nicer skill 

 Of Phidias himself can't blame thy choice. 

 Of such compose thy pack." 



But a more detailed description is neces- 

 sary for the modern sportsman, and is here 

 given : — 



1. Head. — Somewhat broad, not peaked like 

 the Bloodhound, but long from the apex to the 

 frontal bones, eyebrows very prominent, cheeks 

 cut clean from the eye to the nostril, ears set low 

 and in their natural condition thin and shapely, 

 but not large, nose large, jaw strong and level, and 

 small dewlaps, expression fierce, and with the 

 best often repellent. 



2. Eyes. — Very bright and deeply set, full of 

 determination, and with a very steady expres- 

 sion. The look of the Foxhound is very remark- 

 able. 



3. Neck. — Should be perfectly clean, no skin 

 ruffle whatever, or neck cloth, as huntsmen call 

 it. The length of neck is of importance both for 

 stooping and giving an air of majesty. 



4. Shoulders. — The blades should be well into 

 the back, and should slant, otherwise be wide 

 and strong, to meet the arms, that should be long 

 and powerful. 



5. Legs and Feet. — The bone should be per- 

 fectly straight from the arm downward, and 

 descend in the same degree of size to the ankles. 

 or, as the saying is, " down to his toes." The 

 knee should be almost flat and level ; there should 

 be no curve until coming to the toes, which 

 should be very strong, round cat-shaped, and 

 every toe clean set as it were. 



6. Fore-ribs and Brisket. — Deep, fine ribs are 

 very essential, and the brisket should be well 

 below the elbows. 



7. Back and Loins. — Back should be straight. 

 A hollow back offends the eye much, and a roach 

 back is worse. The loin wide, back ribs deep 

 and long, a slight prominence over the croup. 



8. Quarters and Hocks. — The quarters cannot 

 be too long, full showing a second thigh, and 

 meeting a straight hock low down, the shank 

 bone short, and meeting shapely feet. 



9. Coat. — The coat is hard hair, but short 



and smooth, the texture is as stiff as bristles, but 

 beautifully laid. 



10. Colour. — Belvoir tan, which is brown and 

 black, perfectly intermixed, with white markings 

 of various shapes and sizes. The white should be 

 very opaque and clear. Black and white, with 

 tan markings on head and stifles. Badger pied 

 — a kind of grey and white. Lemon pied, light 

 yellow and white. Hare pied, a darker yellow 

 and white. 



11. Stern. — Long and carried gaily, but not 

 curled : often half white. 



12. Height. — Dogs from 23^ to 24 inches; 

 bitches from 22 to 22J inches. 



PUPPY WALKING. 



The Foxhound is bred at the kennels, 

 but in many cases belongs to the hunting 

 country in which his lot is cast ; then he 

 is walked by a member of the hunt, or 

 more frequently by a friend of the same, 

 one who has no objection to his lands being 

 ridden over. At one time many agreements 

 of estates included a clause requiring 

 tenants to keep a Foxhound during certain 

 months of the year. The obligation is 

 now merely a social one, but it is almost 

 equally binding, and it is recognised that 

 the ladies of the hunt shall assist the 

 M.F.H. in this manner. Puppies cared for 

 and reared under individual attention in 

 comfortable homes, necessarily prosper and 

 become more healthy and intelligent than 

 when crowded together in the thronged 

 kennels. Lovers of dogs who live in the 

 neighbourhood of a hunt may usually be 

 allowed to take a puppy into their charge, 

 and in the early days of May one of the 

 whips from the kennel may be expected to 

 drive round to the hall or to the cottage — 



" With an innocent bundle of white and tan, 

 A fat little Foxhound bred to the game, 

 With a rollicking eye and a league long name, 

 And he'll play with a cork on the end of a 



string, 

 And walking a puppy will be ' just the thing.' " 



Doubtless, the rearing of a Foxhound 

 puppy is a great responsibility, but it is 

 also a delight to many who feel that they 

 are helping in the advancement of a great 

 national sport, and there is always the 

 possibility that the particular puppy may 

 turn out to be a future Cromwell or Furrier 



