288 A YEAR OF SPORT AND NATURAL HISTORY. 



Those who are not personally interested in coursing have 

 no idea of the forethought, care, and anxiety that is implied by a 

 dog being fit to win in any company. The breeding itself entails 

 a knowledge of points, structure, performances, and ancestral cha- 

 racteristics, a power of selection partly intuitive and partly learnt, 

 that comparatively few men possess. The treatment of puppies 

 and the training of " saplings " are provinces in themselves upon 

 which as much care is lavished as in the preparation of a prince 

 for the duties of a throne. A pup may have to be brought up " on 

 the bottle," it may have to be reared on Dr. Ridge's food, and 

 very carefully must it be kept from draught and damp, and from 

 anything that would hurt it. It must, as it grows older, have just 

 so much freedom as will develop it to the uttermost, but not so 

 much that it is ever left to look after itself. Above all it must 

 never be chained up, for that will bring bowed legs and many other 

 ills. When the puppies called saplings till they have passed their 

 first season are at exercise or training, everything must be 

 avoided that can hurt their feet, such as flinty ground or stubble 

 fields. On the other hand, the more road exercise they can have 

 the better, for this hardens their feet and makes the pads firm. 

 Nor is it wise to let them do much galloping up hill, for even 

 though the gradient be slight this will tend to spoil the dog's 

 shoulders and throw him out of form. 



The Greyhound was not always trained with such care as now, 

 for match coursing is a practice of comparatively recent growth. 

 The first coursing society was formed, we are told, by Lord 

 Orford, at Swaffham, in 17/6, and this was followed, at varying 

 intervals, by several others, till 1825 saw the birth of the 

 Altcar Club, and 1836 the establishment of the Waterloo Cup. 



