History and Origin, 143 



early forties, used the Henry hound in crossing 

 with his native pack of Redbones, the result be- 

 ing the Birdsong; the latter being the foundation, 

 or parent stock, of many of the modem strains 

 of the present time. 



The July strain originated in Georgia, and 

 derive their name from July, a hound that was 

 procured from Mr. Nimrod Gosnell, of Mary- 

 land, by Mr. Miles Harris, in i860. It is claimed 

 by many that July was a direct descendant of 

 Mountain and Muse, but while he was undoubt- 

 edly of the Irish strain, this could never be veri- 

 fied. He was crossed quite freely upon the na- 

 tive bitches, which had previously been known as 

 Maryland hounds. This name was afterwards 

 changed to the July, and is so known to the pres- 

 ent time. 



They possess great homing instincts, are fast 

 runners, of limited endurance as compared with 

 other strains; they contain many outcrosses, and 

 are of every color and size, evidently never hav- 

 ing been bred to any certain type. 



It is a generally conceded fact that the July 

 strain of the present day have quite a percentage 

 of greyhound blood in them; in fact, it is appar- 

 ent to any one who is a close observer of blood 

 lines in breeding, and many characteristics of 

 the greyhound crop out in them in their field 

 work. 



It is a well-known fact that an infusion of 



