78 Modern Dogs. 



in the southern portions of the PrincipaHty ; whilst 

 in a few cases he has crossed with well-bred 

 English foxhounds. The hard, wiry coats, how- 

 ever, remain in most instances, as well as the 

 peculiar character and excellences common to 

 the Welsh harrier. As is the custom with most 

 hounds which hunt a rough country, the meets are 

 in early morning, and foxes are found by hounds 

 questing and hunting the drag until their game is put 

 away, then the run is generally over terribly rough 

 country, in which, of course, hounds are at times left 

 very much to themselves. For this purpose nothing 

 can excel the Welsh " wire hairs," even if they 

 have a remote bar sinister on their escutcheon. 

 These Ynysfor hounds are from 20 inches (bitches) 

 to 22 inches (dogs) in height, and vary in colour, 

 some being black and tan, others wholly tan, whilst 

 the remainder are the ordinary hound colours. 



Of course, what has been written here, and appears 

 later on in the chapter, more or less indicates that 

 the really pure Welsh hounds, absolutely without any 

 intermingling of foxhound or harrier blood, are 

 most difficult to obtain, but that such are still 

 highly valued in some quarters may, I think, be 

 taken for granted. 



There are other packs containing more or less 

 Welsh blood still existing in the Lanwonno, Ystrad, 



