104 INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. 



spit of the continent, noticed even by Greek writers. 

 This may be an indigenous species ; because Oppian, 

 under the name of Agasseus, clearly describes the 

 Scottish, or rough-haired breed. And his denomi- 

 nation seems to be derived from the Celtic Aghast, 

 or Agass, a word used to designate simply a dog ; 

 therefore, emphatically, the dog of the country. 

 Caius, however, employed the name Agasseus for 

 the gazehound ; which may be our present grey- 

 hoimd, hunting entirely by the eye. The fifth, is 

 the southern, also Lancashire, or Manchester hound ; 

 but that species is of the same original stock with 

 the beagle, which Pennant is inclined to consider 

 as the Agasseus ; and we may believe, if it was 

 known in Britain at a remote period, bore the Celtic 

 name of Brach, probably derived from Brae, a spot ; 

 in the Teutonic dialects, Brach, hiatus, interruptio, 

 macula. 



It is, however, obvious, that all breeds of hounds 

 with round and long drooping ears are originally 

 descended from one race, if not from a distinct spe- 

 cies of dog allied to the Lycaon, and derived from 

 the East. In the researches made, with a view to 

 trace their origin, a great number of antique sculp- 

 tures, statues, has reliefs, and intaglios, were con- 

 sulted, as well as the illuminated manuscripts in 

 public and private libraries, of a considerable part 

 of Europe ; several collections of ancient seals ; nu- 

 merous drawings of monumental efl&gies, and of 

 stained glass, and the result proved, that, with the 

 exception of one Egyptian instance, no sculpture of 



