iroLF-DOO.] rOB MOUNTAIN, FIELD, AND FAE.AI. [wolf-doo. 



our present breed. It 13 quite aa probable 

 that the niAtiu is a moilillcatioa of the ancient 

 ;;revhound of Europe, represented by the Irish 

 £;reyhouiul or woU'-doij, as that it is tlio source 

 of tliat Hiio brood. Few, we believe, of the old 

 Irish greyhound exist. lu Scotland the old 

 deer-hound may still bo met with ; and though 

 it exceeds the common greyhound in size and 

 strength, it is said to be below its ancient 

 standard. With the extirpation of the wolf, 

 the necessity of keeping up the race to the 

 highest perfection ceased. Tho hair is wiry, 

 the chest is remarkable for volume, and the 

 limbs are long and muscular. A similar breed 

 existed, and still continues to exist, in Albania, 

 and was celebrated by the ancients for its 

 prowess. In England, the greyhound was 

 larger and stronger formerly than at present, 

 and employed in chasing the stag. Queen 

 Elizabeth was gratified one day, after dinner, 

 by seeing from a turret, sixteen deer pulled 

 down by greyhounds upon the lawn at Cow- 

 di'ey Park, in Sussex. 



In Arabia, Persia, and other parts of the 

 East, a breed of greyhounds has existed from 

 time immemorial. These dogs strongly re- 

 semble light coursing dogs, represented in 

 Egyptian paintings, and are probably de- 

 scended from them. Of the same type are the 

 semi-wild, unowned street-dogs of Egypt, Syria, 

 and South-western Asia. From the antiquity 

 of the greyhound breed, we might be induced 

 to suppose, that in it is to be seen the nearest 

 approach to the primitive source, or one of the 

 primitive sources of the reclaimed race ; and, 

 perhaps, the Arabian greyhound, or the lurcher- 

 like street-dogs of Egypt, retain some charac- 

 ters in common with the primitive stock. 

 Care and attention have elevated the British 

 greyhound far above the ancient Egyptian 

 coursing dog, or that of Arabia, of which the 

 form of the head is wolfish, the tail frinced 

 with long hair, and the ears, as seen in the 

 paintings of the ancient Egyptians, erect and 

 very acute. The Turkman watch- dog, for 

 guarding sheep, is described as a large, rugged, 

 tierce animal, equalling the wolf in stature, 

 shaped like the Irish greyhound, and with 

 equally powerful jaws. The ears are erect; 

 the tail rather hairy ; the general colour deep 

 yellowish red. This race is of great antiquity, 

 and doubtless still retains much of its pristine 



aspect, which is so wolf-like, that, according to 

 Colonel Hamilton Smith, *' a friend being pre- 

 sent in Asia ]\linor at a wolf-hunt, allowed 

 one (a wolf) to pass out of a brake, bocauuo 

 he mistook him for ono of the Turkman dogs." 



In the Highland, or Celtic poems of Osbiau, 

 professedly translated by INIacpherson, wo find 

 tho ancient Irish wolf-dog, or tho Scottish 

 deer-hound, tlie subject of several traditions. 

 "Bran" was tho favourite dog of Fingal, tho 

 famous hero. _ In Mr. Scrope's volume on 

 " Deer-stalking," we find the following : — 



" Fingal agreed to hunt in tho forest of 

 Sledale, in company with t!io Sutherland chief 

 his contemporary, for the purpose of trying 

 the comparative merits of their dogs. Fingal 

 brought his celebrated dog Bran to Suther- 

 land, in order to compete with an equally 

 famous dog belonging to the Sutherland chief, 

 and tho only one in the country supposed to 

 be any match for him. The approaching con- 

 test between these fine animals created great 

 interest. White-breasted Bran was superior 

 to the whole of Fingal's other dogs, even to 

 the ' surly strength of Luath ;' but the Suther- 

 land dog, known by the full-sounding name of 

 Phorp, was incomparably the best and most 

 powerful dog that ever eyed a deer in his 

 master's forests. 



" When Fingal arrived in the forest with 

 his retinue and dogs, he was saluted with a 

 welcome that may be translated thus : — 



" ' With your nine great dogs, 



With your nine smaller game-starting dogs, 



With your nine spears, 



Unwieldy v.eapons ! 



And with your nine grey, sharp-edged swords, 



Famous were you iii the foremost fight.' 



" The Sutherland chief also made a con- 

 spicuous figure, with his followers, and his 

 dogs, and weapons for the chase. Of the two 

 rival dogs. Bran and Phorp, the following de- 

 scriptions have still survived amongst some of 

 tiie oldest people in Sutherland. Bran is 

 thus represented : — 



" ' The hind leg like a hook or hent bow ; 



Tiie breast like that of a garron ; 



The ear like a leaf.' 



" Such would Fingal, the chief of heroes, 

 select from amongst the youth of his hunting- 

 dogs. Phorp was black iu colour, and bis 

 points are thus described : — 



407 



