224 THE BOOK OP THE DOG. 



seen. They were two magnificent dogs, both very rough and of great height and power : Morven 

 reddish in colour, Torrish, darker greyish-brown ; Torrish the thickest and biggest in bone, Morven 

 the highest. It is believed this dog left no progeny, though there is an old dog, belonging 

 to the Marquis of Bristol, at Ickworth Park, who is descended in a straight line from his 

 brother Torrish. This dog, Giaour, was bred by Mr. John Bateson, brother to the late Mr. 

 Bateson of Cambusmere, and to him the writer is indebted for all the information regarding 

 these dogs. The breed was entirely in his and his brother's hands from 1845 to the present 

 time, so there can be no doubt regarding its authentic character. The McNiel strain was 

 also owned by Mr. Meredith of Torrish, Sutherlandshire. From a bitch bred by Mr. McNiel, and 

 owned by Mr. Meredith, the Duke of Sutherland's Loyal was bred. Loyal was the dam of 

 the dog Oscar, purchased by Prince Solms, Mr. Cameron's (of Lochiel) Pirate being the 

 sire. As far as can be ascertained, the McNiel dogs in their earliest form were a smaller 

 dog than the present animal, and hardly so rough in the coat, not much exceeding in size 

 the dog, now nearly extinct, that was known as the Scotch Greyhound. 



Sir John McNiel was kind enough to furnish the writer, in 1868, with the following 

 information about his breed in later times : 



"The largest and finest dog I ever bred or ever saw was my Oscar. His speed was 

 such that in a straight run he was never beaten by any dog, rough or smooth ; and in his best 

 running condition he weighed ninety-four pounds." 



From this it will be seen that the McNiel strain had gained both in size and weight 

 since the time Buskar was looked upon as such a wonder. 



Another celebrated strain was owned by a Scottish nobleman up to within the last 

 twenty-six years, since which period he has given them up ; but some of the blood has 

 passed into other hands, and has been infused in and incorporated with our present strains. 

 The following information furnished by him will be read with much interest : 



"I have never had in my possession a dog above 31 inches. Black Bran, so called to 

 distinguish him from my famous Bran, stood 31 inches in height, and at eighteen months old 

 measured 33! inches round the chest. He was a first-rate dog. I have seen a dog 34 inches 

 in height, but he was an ill-shaped and utterly useless animal. Sir St. George Gore's Gruim 

 was, I believe, about 32 or 33 inches in height, well-shaped, and a very excellent dog. Gruim 

 was about the year 1843-44, Black Bran about 1850-51, at their best. Bran (the famous) 

 was 29 inches high, and measured 31 J inches round the chest. In shape he was long and 

 low, and so evenly made that he looked much smaller than he really was. He was dark brown 

 at the top of his head something of the colour of a yell-hind ; ears coal black ; muzzle black, 

 with a little patch in front of the under-jaw something like the lips of a roe ; back, sides, quarters, 

 and outside of legs yellowish-fawn deepening in winter time, when his coat was longer, into a sort 

 of yellowish rusty-grey ; tail just tipped with white ; head quite smooth to behind the ears ; 

 ears quite smooth and velvety ; coat over body and sides not very long, very harsh and wiry ; 

 legs and feet quite smooth ; coat, in winter, about three inches long. Bran was at his best 

 about 1844-45. He was entered to his first stag at nine months old (too early), and killed his 

 last stag at nine years old. His greatest feat was the killing of two unwounded stags single- 

 handed in about three-quarters of an hour. The first bore 10 points ; the second 1 1. The 

 pure breed was at one time confined to a very few different kennels. I think my own, and those 



