174 Hounds 



possesses in certain respects a resemblance to the 

 mastiff, it has features quite distinctive from this 

 breed. In the first place it is a much more active 

 dog, less inclined to be of surly temperament, and 

 can be kept under conditions that would prove wholly 

 unsuitable to a mastiff — a breed that the Great Dane 

 has largely displaced, though admirers of the former 

 variety are right in adhering to the fact that the 

 mastiff is the more majestic-looking animal of the 

 two. In all probability the ancient lineage of the 

 two is comparable, there being evidence to prove the 

 existence of both varieties for hundreds of years. 

 The Great Dane was originally designed for hunting 

 the wild boar, and the cropping of the ears of these 

 dogs in their native land is suggestive that the object 

 was to prevent injury to the ears during combat with 

 their foes. For a long time cropping was practised 

 in England, but the Kennel Club put their veto upon 

 it, and rightly so; it was as unnecessary as it was 

 cruel, therefore bound to be abolished as in certain 

 other breeds, such as the Black-and-tan Terrier, Bull 

 Terrier, etc. For some time after the varieties named 

 fell in popularity, but with the re-establishment of 

 reason the Great Dane and the other breeds alluded 

 to regained their former position. A very early 

 exhibitor of Boarhounds in England was Mr Adcock, 

 and the writer remembers that he used to exhibit a 

 dog called Satan with a measure of success, but the 



