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CHAPTER VII. 



CROSSED BREEDS. 

 Retriever. — Bull-Terrier. — Lurcher.— Dog and Fox Cross. 



Although many of the breeds which have been enumerated 

 in the preceding chapters were most probably originally the 

 produce of crosses between distinct varieties, yet at present they 

 are continued by breeding from a sire and dam of the same kind, 

 whereas, with those which we are now considering, there is 

 constantly a necessity for having recourse to the original breeds. 

 For instance, many breeds of the greyhound are known to be 

 crossed with the bull, and the identical animal with which the 

 cross first commenced is well ascertained, as in the case of Sir 

 James Boswell's " Jason," Mr. Etwall's " Eurus," &c. ; so also with 

 the foxhound, though here the particular cross is not so well 

 ascertained, but it is admitted to have taken place within the last 

 century. Yet these are not called mongrels, and the breed, instead 

 of being despised as such, is more highly prized than those of 

 the pure strain which formed one side of the parent stock. The 

 term mongrel may more properly be applied to those chance 

 crosses which occur from accident or neglect, the bitch selecting 



