CHAPTER XVI. 

 THE ITALIAN GREYHOUND. 



THIS graceful and fragile little creature, with the 

 equally choice Maltese dog, may not survive long 

 in this country. He has never been a particularly 

 great favourite, owing doubtless to his delicate con- 

 stitution and the great difficulty there has always 

 been to produce perfect specimens of the ordinary 

 English greyhound in miniature, which the so-called 

 Italian variety undoubtedly ought to be, though in 

 proportion the limbs of the latter are more slim, and 

 were never ordained by nature for rougher work than 

 playing on the lawn, or having a romp in the dining 

 room. 



Here is what a writer at the commencement of 

 the century says of what he calls " a diminutive 

 native breed, which seem only calculated to sooth 

 vanity and indulge frivolities : these dogs are so 

 deficient of the spirit, sagacity, fortitude, and self- 

 defence of every other sort of the canine race as 

 not to be able to officiate in the services of domestic 



