144 THE AXGLER AXD HUXTSMAX 



In the year 1738, the English colonists became dissat- 

 isfied with the common gray fox, and so they imported the 

 red fox from the mother country England, liberating it 

 along the shores of Chesapeake Bay. The red fox has a 

 habit of making great circles when being pursued, while the 

 gray fox seeks to elude capture by dodges and doubles. 



Many sportsmen have taken it upon themselves to im- 

 prove the breed from time to time, hence we have various 

 strains throughout the United States, but all are directly 

 traceable to the hounds brought to this country by the early 

 settlers. 



To enumerate them, the July dogs, which were origi- 

 nated in Georgia, is a very popular strain ; 



The Birdsong hounds were introduced by George L. F. 

 Birdsong, also a resident of Georgia, who was a noted fox 

 hunter of his day ; 



Col. Hayden C. Trigg, and the Walkers, by judicious 

 crossing and careful breeding, gave to the fox-hunting 

 brotherhood the strains of fox hounds bearing their respec- 

 tive names. 



To-day, each strain of the American foxhound has its 

 ardent admirers, and it would be suicidal for me to attempt 

 to state which strain is superior, even did I possess that 

 knowledge, which I think no man does really possess, for all 

 have their merits and are the result of generations of pains- 

 taking breeding, and none of them appear to have any faults 

 worth mentioning, no more than any species of dog, as a 

 whole, is faulty. Of course, we recognize the fact that there 

 are good, bad, and indifferent individuals in nearly all 

 breeds, with the possible exception of the Airedale, a breed 

 which some say possess uniform quality and merit. We will 

 not attempt to dispute that claim, for we have never seen a. 

 bad Airedale terrier. 



The modern American foxhound undeniably possesses 

 more skill, speed, endurance, staying qualities, and individ- 

 ual merit than any other strain of fox hound yet produced. 



