30 THE GREYHOUND. 



In respect to the tail, all agree it should be long and 

 fine. Markham says: "An even growne long rat's tail, 

 round, turning at the lower end leashward, and full set 

 on between the buttocks." The " Mayster of Game " 

 says : " A catte's tayle, making a ring at eend, but not 

 to hie." The tail, no doubt, acts as a rudder, and as 

 such must play an important part in swerving and 

 turning. 



Colour in Greyhounds should go for little; for although 

 many persons have a prejudice in favour of a special fancy, 

 experience proves that there are good of all. In the 

 hunting poem by Gratius, as translated by Wase, we are 

 told to 



Chnse the Greyhound pied with black and white : 

 He runs more swift than thought or winged flight. 



Arrian considered the colour of Greyhounds of no im- 

 portance; but most old, and also modern, writers have 

 their preferences. As directly opposite to the opinion 

 just quoted, Oppian objects to white and black, as too 

 sensitive to heat and cold. De Langley says : " Of all 

 manere of Greihoundes there byn both good and evel; 

 Natheless the best hewe is rede falow, with a black 

 moselle." " Stonehenge " says the colours preferred are 

 black, and red or fawn, with black muzzle ; and it may 

 be worth notice that, in quoting him, "Idstone" falls into 

 the singular mistake of saying they should have red 

 muzzles. Turberville mentions white, fallow, dun, and 

 black as the preferable colours of Hounds; and that the 

 dun is an old favourite colour may be inferred from the 

 following lines from an ancient metrical romance : 



