INTRODUCTION. 



of the old fierce war dog used by the Celtic natives of 

 these Isles; but it is certain, that at a very early period 

 the wide distinction whicl* separates our quick-footed 

 Hounds from the slower Hounds working by scent, and 

 the still more powerful Canis pugnaces of the Molossian 

 or Mastiff type, was recognised as clearly as we now 

 separate them from our Hounds, Spaniels, and Mastiffs. 



The smooth Greyhound is now by far the most important, 

 as he is the most perfect, representative of the group, 

 showing in the greatest perfection the qualities for which 

 the whole have always been distinguished and valued. 



It is generally believed tnat the Greyhound was brought 

 into these Islands by a Celtic tribe who spread over 

 Ireland and the Western islands and mainland of Scot- 

 land, according to Holinshed during the third century, 

 but much earlier in the opinion of others, who hold that 

 the great Celtic wave spread over Europe, reaching these 

 Islands B.C. 500; but it is admittedly impossible to 

 definitely fix dates. Arrian, writing about the third decade 

 of the second century, gives a full and accurate description 

 of the dog, and calls it a Celtic Hound. Holinshed, in 

 his description of Ireland, says : " The Greihounde of King 

 Cranthylinth/s dayes was not fetched so far as out of 

 Grecia, but rather bred in Scotland." (Cranthylinth, or 

 Crathilinthus, was the eighteenth of the kings of Scotland, 

 and began to reign in the year 277.) 



Evidence exists that the Greyhound formed part of the 

 kennels of Elfric, Duke of Mercia, for in some curious 

 dialogues written by him in Latin, and translated by 

 Turner, the following occurs: "'I am a hunter to one of 

 the kings/ ' How do you exercise your art ? ' ' I spread 



B2 



