The Borzoi or Russian Wolfhound. 215 



any men I have ever seen in handling a hound ; and their influence, 

 apparently all by kindness, is extraordinary. I noticed that even 

 the puppies at play made for the same spot in trying to pull each 

 other down namely, by the side of the neck under the ear ; and 

 this mode of attack seems instinctively born in them. - The wolf's 

 running is perfectly straight, and if he attacks it is straight ahead ; 

 he will only turn if caught in a manner to do so ; and a dog laying 

 hold of him over the back or hind quarters would be terribly 

 punished. The clever wolfhound never gets hurt, no matter 

 whether he or the wolf attacks first; and some singular trials of 

 this sort have taken place. 



Recently a very big wolf, that had been captured with much 

 difficulty, was matched against any two hounds in Russia. The 

 challenge was accepted, and the wolf placed in a huge box in an 

 open space. The moment the trap was pulled the wolf stood and 

 faced the spectators ; on the hounds being slipped on him he 

 attacked them; but they avoided his rush, and pinned him so 

 cleverly that the wolf was muzzled and carried off without the 

 least difficulty ; whereupon an enormous price was paid for one of 

 the hounds. 



The Russian style of hunting would not meet all our English 

 views of sport ; but there is doubtless a deal of excitement about 

 it. Mr. Kalmoutzky's domain is entirely on a plain, with scarcely 

 any woodlands at all. It is all like a big sea of grass, the going 

 being as good as on Newmarket Heath, with here and there 

 the land turned up in cultivation, but looking much like patches in 

 the vast expanse ; so also did the reed beds of 300 or 400 

 acres each, and these are the coverts for the wolves and foxes. 

 These reed beds are mostly eight or nine miles apart, so English 

 foxhunters could see what a gallop could be had here ; better than 

 Dartmoor or Exmoor, as the turf is perfect, no rough ground, and 

 the hills little more than undulations. 



Special hunts would have been arranged on my behalf, but, 

 alas ! like our own frozen-out sportsmen, I had to be disappointed, 

 as frost and snow interfered. However, one morning I was given 



