90 PERSIAN GREYHOUND GREYHOUND AND FOX. 



afterwards improve. The truth is, that although animals may be ill affected, and 

 be even rendered comparatively useless by an alien and unfavourable climate, still 

 granting the breed be preserved unmixed, the great landmarks of species as well 

 as genus, will for ever remain. Our hounds, it seems, lose their powers under the 

 burning Sun of India ; but a successful cross has been made of the English Mastiff 

 upon the Indian Hound, the produce succeeding well in the Hog-hunting of 

 that Country. 



The Persian Greyhound, and there is a very elegant portrait by Ward, in 

 the Sporting Magazine for December 1 807, of one, the property of Lady St. George, 

 closely resembles the Italian in the head, face, and nose, but is not altogether of the 

 Greyhound form in the body, which is covered with fine, silky hair, that upon the 

 ears and tail being long. This hound has good speed, and is of a most docile and 

 gentle disposition. 



From the same source we derive the following account, illustrative of the nature 

 of our present race of Greyhounds. In the month of January 1817, as Mr. Martin, 

 jun. of Firle, near Lewes, Sussex, was walking over his grounds accompanied by 

 his Greyhound, the dog, in passing through a gap, unkennelled a Fox, and pur- 

 sued him so closely, that Reynard, sensible of his inability to escape by speed, em- 

 braced the first favourable situation that presented itself, for the protection of his 

 brush ; and facing about, boldly awaited the attack of hjs enemy, which was soon 

 made, and a sharp battle ensued, when the fox applied the artillery of his chops so 

 effectually, that the greyhound cowed and retreated : but on seeing reynard make 

 a second start, his courage returned, and again urged him to the pursuit, which 

 soon led to a renewal of the battle, on the bank of a large sewer, or dike, into 

 which, from the fierceness of the conflict, both combatants tumbled, and there 

 actually struggled hard for victory, which at length, again declared for the fox, 

 he driving the greyhound smarting from the water, but not from the field of 

 action, as the dog remained on the shore manoeuvring and watching the motions of 

 poor reynard, who had no sooner landed, in an exhausted condition, than his staunch 

 pursuer instantly sprang upon him, and killed him without farther trouble. 



