204 



VERTEBRATA. 



packs <>i this kind are sometimes kept, against which the wolf, or even the bear, would stand little 

 chance. He La principally used for the chase of the deer or the wolf, but occasionally follows 

 the hare. The deer is his principal object of pursuit, and for this he is well adapted. He is 

 nut with in mosl ] > : 1 1 ■ t -- of Russia, where his breed is carefully preserved by the nobility, with 

 whom coursing is a favorite diversion. 



'I'll.' Grei ian Grei wd, whose image was occasionally sculptured on the friezes of the ancient 



temples, still exists, and a specimen has latch been in tin 1 London Zoological < hardens. It greatlj 

 resembles tin' English variety . 



Tin- Tl RKI8H Grei KD is a Bmall-sized hairless dog, or with only a few hairs on his tail. He 



i- never used in the field, and i- bred only as a spoiled pet, — yet not always spoiled, tor anecdotes 

 are related of his inviolable attachment to his owner. One of them belonged to a Turkish Pacha 

 who was destroyed by the bowstring. He would, not forsake the corpse, but laid himself down 

 by the body of his murdered master, and presently expired. 



The Persian Greyhound is a beautiful animal, lie is more delicately formed than the English 

 breed; the ears an- also more pendulous, and feathered almost as much as those of a King 

 Charles 1 spaniel. Notwithstanding, however, his apparent slcndcrness and delicacy, he yields 

 not in courage, and scarcely in strength, to the British dog. There arc few kennels in which he 

 i- found in which he is not the master. In his native country he is not only used for hunting 

 the hare, but the antelope, the wild ass, and even the boar. The antelope is speedier than the 

 greyhound: therefore the hawk i- given to him as an ally. The antelope is no sooner started 

 than the hawk is cast oft", wh<>. fluttering before the face of the deer, ami sometimes darting his 

 talons into his head, disconcerts him, and enables the greyhound speedily to overtake ami 

 master him. 



The chase, however, in which the Persians chiefly delight, and for which these greyhounds are 

 mostly valued, is that of the gkoo-khan, or wild ass. This animal inhabits the mountainous dis- 

 tricts of Persia. He i- swift, ferocious, and of great endurance, which, together with the nature 

 of the ground, renders tin- -port exceedingly dangerous. The hunter scarcely gives the animal 

 a fair chance, tor relays of greyhounds are placed at various distances in the surroundinir 

 country : so that, when those by which the animal is first started are tired, there are other- t<> 

 continue the chase. Such, however, is the speed and endurance of the ghoo-khan, that it is 

 seldom fairly run down by the greyhounds, its death being usually achieved by the rifle of 

 some horseman. The Persians evince great skill and courage in this dangerous sport, galloping at 

 full speed, rifle in hand, up and down the most precipitous hills, and across ravines and mountain 

 streams, thai migbl well daunt the boldest rider. 



The 1 Vrdan grej hound, carried to Hindostan, 

 is not always to be depended upon; hut i- -aid 

 to he apt to console itself by hunting its own 



master, or any oi Ise, when the game proves 



too fleet or escapes into the cover. 



The Italian Greyhound posi — es allthesym- 

 ra My ..('the English or Persian one, on a small 



. ? as beauty can rec mend it, and, 



generally speaking, good nature, it i- deservedly 

 a favorite in the drawing-room ; hut, like the 

 large greyhound, H is inferior in intelligence. 

 It ha- no Btrong individual attachment, hut 

 changes it w itli singular facility . 



'I here are many other less noted varieties of 

 the greyhound, for which we have not space. 

 -hall we enter largely into a description of 

 tie degenerate cousins of the breed, Buch a- the vagabond street-dogs of Egypt, which claim to 



have greyhound bl I in their veins. We must not. however, omit the humble hut intellig 



Ti bhspit, which, despite it- vulgarity, appear- to he, i„ part, of this gentle stock. In former days 



THE TlUNSl'lT. 



