History and Origin. 145 



throughout a day's hard riding to hounds, he 

 mounting after having received a shoulder dislo- 

 cation that would have sent many a younger man 

 to his bed. 



The Redbone is one of the old-time strains; 

 confined exclusively to the Southern States. The 

 "native" Birdsong, Georgia, Virginia, and Ken- 

 tucky hounds v^ere undoubtedly the Redbone 

 strain before the introduction of the various 

 crosses previously mentioned. They were a slow, 

 painstaking hound, with superior nose and splen- 

 did mouth, without speed. 



As foxhounds the strain has passed out of ex- 

 istence, though in the South many pure bred 

 specimens can still be found; they are known as 

 the "nigger" dog, or American bloodhound, and 

 are used almost exclusively either for man trail- 

 ing or coon and opossum hunting. 



The Buckfield strain, or "Natives," as gen- 

 erally called, are to be found only in New Eng- 

 land, and are totally unlike any other strain of 

 hounds in America. They were first heard of in 

 the vicinity of Buckfield, Maine, and derived their 

 name from this fact. They have been used 

 chiefly in driving game through runways to be 

 shot by hunters, and are said to be very proficient 

 in their art, possessing keen noses, great judg- 

 ment, and remarkable endurance. 



The Wild Goose strain of hounds of Tennes- 



