COURSING. 465 



enced man, called a slipper, is selected to handle the 

 dogs while in the field. One dog wears a red collar and 

 the other a white, made of flannel cloth, one light thick- 

 ness, for the purpose of enabling the judge to distinguish 

 the dogs while running. This is necessary if the two 

 dogs are of the same color. When starting to a course, 

 a long line of beaters ladies and gentlemen on horse- 

 back is thrown out, in the shape of a crescent. The 

 dogs, led by the slipper, are in front, and the judge close 

 by. The spectators are permitted to follow close in the 

 wake of the beaters. It is a grand sight to see such a 

 cavalcade marching over the smooth prairie, there having 

 been at least 3,000 people in attendance at the meeting, in 

 1888, of the American Coursing Club, at Great Bend, 

 Kan., where the meetings are held. 



The crescent form in which the beaters move is for 

 the purpose of forcing the rabbit to the center, and before 

 the dogs. 



As he jumps from his form, the slipper attracts the 

 attention of the dogs to him by some exclamation, and, 

 as they take sight, they dash for him with such force as 

 to nearly upset the slipper; and when the rabbit is about 

 eighty yards away, the word is given by the judge, the 

 slipper pulls the string, the collars are loosened from 

 their necks, and away they go. Such a long lead gives 

 the greyhounds an opportunity to display their speed, 

 and affords the rabbit a chance to escape; and not infre- 

 quently he takes advantage of this kindly offer, and never 

 lets the greyhounds reach him, and escapes in tall grass 

 or weeds A race is decided on the principle that the 

 dog showing the greatest speed and ability to turn the 

 quickest is the superior greyhound, and necessarily does 

 more toward catching the hare, although he may not kill 

 him ; and in order to estimate their relative value, the 

 work done is counted by 



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