314 Modern Dogs. 



surrender general appearance for perfection in other 

 points, so that the Borzoi of high and noble quahty 

 is becoming rare. 



" The pure race of the Borzoi is principally 

 characterised by the shape of the head, the 

 ear, and by the tail. Many breeders concen- 

 trate their attention upon the head, and disdain 

 the tail. 



"We find, on the contrary, that the tail is one of 

 the most characteristic points of race, because its 

 thinness, its elasticity, and its shape, which resembles 

 a reaping hook {a), among all the Russian breeds 

 (we consider the Crimean and Caucasian varieties as 

 Russian) belong exclusively to the Borzoi (b). 



" Muzzle slightly arched and forehead prominent 

 are typical of the Borzoi, but when the arch is too 

 pronounced or the forehead too prominent, they are 

 faults. 



" The skull must be long, oval to the sides, and 

 have a small slip to the back part of the head^ 

 finishing by a prominency sharp enough and well 

 pronounced. Every other form is not typical. 



"The muzzle is long, thin, and clean, the nostrils 



{a) A comparison very popular among Eussian hunters. 



(//) The writer forgets the greyhounds of Poland, whose tails are 

 exactly of the same shape as the Borzoi, only covered with very 

 short hair. 



