CHAPTER VII 



THE BLOODHOUND 



This ancient variety of hound has been in existence 

 for centuries, being mentioned by many of the oldest 

 writers on matters appertaining to the dog. Dr 

 John Caius, physician to Queen Elizabeth, wrote as 

 follows: " For whether the beast beying wounded, 

 doth not withstanding enjoye life, and escapeth 

 the handes of the huntesman, or whether the said 

 beast, beying slain, is conveyed clenly out of the 

 parcke (so that there be some signification of bloud 

 there), these dogges with no lesse facilitie and easi- 

 nesse, their aviditie and greedinnesse can disclose 

 and betray the same by smeUing, applying to their 

 pursute agilitie and nimblenesse without tedious- 

 nesse, for which consideration of a singular speciahtie 

 they deserved to be called Sanguinarii or Blood- 

 hounds." Dr Caius further said that these hounds 

 would cross water and identify the man they were 

 hunting, in spite of the fact that he might be amongst 

 a number of other people. Somervile speaks of a 

 deep-fiewed hound used for tracking man. Cox, 

 writing towards the end of the seventeenth century, 



refers to the Bloodhound as being closely allied to 

 I 129 



