262 THE BOOK OF THE DOG. 



of a cross between the northern hound and the ancient Greyhound. Mr. John Scott writes 

 nearly 2OO years after Gervase Markham in support of this theory, and in vindication of the 

 judgment of those who introduced the Greyhound cross. " We do not," says Mr. Scott, 

 "hear any complain among modern sportsmen, as among the ancients, of the excess of 

 Greyhound form or qualities in the present Foxhound, or of a want of nose, steadiness, or 

 stoutness. On the contrary, the best packs of this improved breed have found and killed 

 more foxes in their seasons than any other and slower breeds could boast, running as long and 

 desperate chases." A little further on, however, the writer is compelled to admit the unsuitability 

 of too-lightly-bred hounds to heavy countries, over which more powerfully-built ones naturally 

 show to greater advantage. It is only reasonable that a lightly-bred hound should be faster 

 in what Gervase Markham terms a " champaigne country " than a heavy built one ; but when 

 further comparison between the merits of the two varieties has to be drawn, a vast difference 

 of opinion soon arises. Gervase Markham, who certainly understood the subject upon which 

 he wrote most thoroughly, thus delivers his opinions : 



"The shape of your hound must be according to the climate where he is bred, and according 

 to the natural composition of his body; as thus, if you would choose a large, heavy, slow, true 

 Talbot-like hound, you must choose him which hath a round, big, thick head, with a short 

 nose uprising, and large open nostrels, which shows he is of a good and quick scent. His eares 

 exceeding large, thin, and down hanging much lower than his chaps, and the flews of his 

 upper lips almost ten inches lower than his nether chaps, which shows a merry, deep mouth 

 and a loud ringer. His back strong and straight, yet rather rising than inwardly yeelding, 

 which shows much toughness and endurance. His fillets would be thick and great, which approve 

 a quick gathering up of his legs without paine ; his huckle bones round and hidden, which 

 shows he will not tyer ; his thighs round, and his hams straight, which shows swiftnesse. His 

 taile long, and big at the setting on and small downward, which shows a strong chine and a good 

 winde. The haire under his belly hard and stiffe, which shows willingness and ability to endure 

 labour in all weathers and in all places. His legs large and leane, which shows nimbleness 

 in leaping or climing. His foot round, high-knuckled, and well clawed, with a dry, hard soale. 

 The general composure of his body so just and even that no level may distinguish whether 



his hinder or fore part be the higher If you will chuse a swift, light hound, then 



must his head be more slender and his nose more long, his eares and flews more shallow, his 

 backe broad, his belly gaunt, his taille small, his joynts long, his foot round, and his general 

 composure much more slender and Grayhound-like, and thus in the generallity for the most 

 part all your Yorkshire hounds, whose vertues I can praise no further than for scent and 

 swiftness " 



He then proceeds to give some hints upon the crossing of the various strains of hounds, 

 which, as they occupied the position of ancestors to our modern Foxhounds, may be briefly 

 summarised. If a dog was required for what the writer termed " cunning hunting," a cross 

 of the slowest and largest northern hounds with the fastest and lightest west-country ones was 

 advocated. Hounds thus produced were supposed to be endowed with exactly the amount of 

 pace which was required for those early days, which was a matter of paramount importance 

 then, as a slow hound would probably lose the chase, whilst a too fast one would be liable to 

 leave the huntsman behind. For "sweetnesse of cry" Markham advocates the division of the 

 pack into large dogs with deep, solemn mouths, to act as bass voices, then a double number 



