»rKK-H0UND.] FOR MOUNTAIN, PIELD, AND FAEM. [ueeii-houxd. 



cars black. A tuft, or pencil of dark hair on 

 till' tip of" tho oar, ia a proof of lii^li blood. 



This is a very powerfu! dog, equally staunch 

 and laitlifiil ; and when the Scottish nioun- 

 tnina swarineil with stag3 and roes, it was held 

 in high estiinati.>n, as being capable of follow- 

 ing the deer over surfaces too rough and 

 latiguing for tho ordinary hounds of the low 

 I'ouutry. " The general aspect of the Highland 

 luiuud," says Mr. Eichardson, " is command- 

 ing and ilerce. His head is long, and muzzle 

 rather sharp ; his ears pendulous, but not 

 long ; his eyes large, keen, and penetrating, 

 half-concealed among the long, stiff, and 

 bristly hair with which his face is covered ; 

 his body is very strong and muscular, deep- 

 chested, tapering towards the loins ; and his 

 back slightly arched. His hind quarters are 

 furnished with large prominent muscles ; and 

 his legs are long, strong-boned, and straight — 

 a combination of qualities which gives him 

 that speed and long duration in the chase 

 for which he is so eminently distinguished. 

 His hair is wiry and shaggy, of a reddish sand 

 colour, mixed with white ; his tail is rough, 

 which he carries somewhat in the manner of a 

 stag hound, but not quite so erect. This is 

 tiie dog formerly used by the Highland chief- 

 tains of Scotland in their grand hunting par- 

 ties ; and is, in all probability, the same noble 

 dog used in the time of Ossian. The Scottish 

 Highland greyhound will either hunt in packs 

 or singly." 



The following description of deer-coursing, 

 written by Mr. Scrope, presents us with a 

 faithful picture of the mode of using the 

 hounds adapted for that purpose in the High- 

 lands : — 



" No time was to De lost ; the whole party 

 immediately moved forward in silent and 

 breathless expectation, with the dogs in front, 

 straining in the slips; and on our reaching the 

 top of the hillock, we got a full view of the 

 noble stag, which, having heard our footsteps, 

 had sprung to his legs, and was staring us full 

 in the face, at the distance of about sixty 

 yards. I 



" The dogs were slipped ; a general halloo 

 burst from the whole party, and the stag, | 

 wheeling round, set off" at full speed, with 

 'Buskar' and 'Bran' straining after him. 



" The brown ligure of the deer, with his 



noblo antlers laid back, contrasted with tho 

 liglit colour of tho dogs, stretching ahjiig tho 

 dark heath, presented ono of tho moat exciting 

 scenes that it is possible to imagine. 



"Tho deer's first attempt was to gain some 

 rising ground to tho left of tho spot wliere wo 

 stood, ami rather behind us; but, bt.'ing closely 

 pursued by tho dogs, ho soon found that his 

 only safety was in speed ; and as a deer does 

 not run well up hill, nor like u roe, straight 

 down hill, on the dogs approaching him, ho 

 turned, and almost retraced his steps, taking, 

 however, a steeper line of descent than tho 

 I one by which he ascended. Here the chase 

 became more interesting ; the dogs pressed 

 him hard, and the deer, getting confused, 

 found himself suddenly on the brink of a 

 small precipice, of about fourteen feet in 

 height, from the bottom of which there sloped 

 a rugged mass of stones. He paused for a 

 moment, as if afraid to take the leap ; but the 

 dogs were so close that he had no alternative. 



" At this time the party were not above 150 

 yards distant, and most anxiously awaited the 

 result, fearing, from the ruggedness of the 

 ground below, that the deer would not sur- 

 vive the leap. They were, however, soon re- 

 lieved from their anxiety ; for though he took 

 the leap, he did so more cunningly than gal- 

 lantly, dropping himself in the most singular 

 manner, so that his hind legs first reached the 

 broken rocks below ; nor were the dogs long 

 in following him. ' Buskar' sprang first, and, 

 extraordinary to relate, did not lose his legs; 

 ' Bran' followed, and, on reaching the ground, 

 performed a complete summersault ; he soon, 

 however, recovered his legs, and the chase was 

 continued in an oblique direction down the side 

 of a most rugged and rocky brae, the deer ap- 

 parently more fresh and nimble than ever, 

 jumping through the rocks like a goat, and tho 

 dogs well up, though occasionally receiving the 

 most fearful falls. 



" Prom the high position in which we were 

 placed, the chase was visible for nearly half a 

 mile; but some rising ground intercepting 

 our view, we made with all speed for a higher 

 point. On reaching it we could perceive that; 

 the dogs, having got upon smooth ground, 

 had gained on the deer, which was still going 

 at speed, and were now close up with him. 

 ' Bran' was then leading, and in a i'evr secouda 



411 



