Varieties of tJic Dog. 2 1 



beaten by the smooth greyhound, and therefore liis use is 

 confined to the districts I have mentioned, where the 

 nature of the country forbids anything in the shape of 

 coursing for sport, and " fox-hunting " is the order of the 

 day. For this purpose he is well quaHfied, as he soon 

 leanis to stoop to a scent. In appearance he exactly re- 

 sembles the deerhound, but in action he may be known 

 from that dog by the different carriage of the head. With 

 the exception of his rough coat, he closely resembles the 

 English or smooth dog. 



'rhe Greyhound is the thorough -bred racer among 

 dogs, and the points which give the faculty are easily 

 recognized by the eye, though all dogs which have them 

 are not necessarily fast. These points are — first, length 

 from the hip-joint to the hock, 7ii/ie7i extended ; and se- 

 condly, powerful and flexible shoulders. 



The head should be wide behind, and should be con- 

 siderably larger in circumference, if measured over the 

 ears, than over the eyebro\vs. For dogs of good size, I 

 believe the measure over the ears should be about 15 in., 

 and for bitches from 14 to 14I in., according to the general 

 size of the head, which is sometimes very small and neat 

 in them without injury. The jaw should be very lean, 

 with a good muscular development on the cheek, which 

 gives a strong hold, and enables the dog to bear his hare 

 in striking at her. The head of the greyhound is com- 

 pared to that of the snake, but it is a far-fetched com- 

 parison, save in the flatness of the top, and the width, 

 which certainly are points of resemblance ; the nose, 

 however, is so different that the likeness is a very poor 

 one. The teeth should be good, and in young dogs 

 white and free from tartar ; indeed, in a well-reared dog, 

 the whiteness is of such a kind as to excel the finest ivory. 

 This is a strong mark of good rearing, and indicates the 

 habitual use of bones, the gnawing of which not only 

 cleans the teeth, but aids in their formation, and also 

 increases the general health of the whole system. The 

 eye should be bright and tolerably full. I have never 

 been able to satisfy myself as to the general possession of 

 any one kind of eye by good public greyhounds. I have 



