CLASSIFICATION OF DOGS. 61 



Exceptional cases occur no doubt. These do not prove 

 that form is of no consequence, but they do seem to teach 

 the lesson that of however great importance a strong and 

 symmetrical form may be, a sound constitution and a well- 

 developed brain and nervous system generally are much 

 more so. The nervous system is always king in the high- 

 est classes of animals of every kind. It rarely happens 

 that a very successful field-dog is wanting in the parts 

 most successful in propulsion, as loins, quarters, legs, and 

 feet, though he may be defective in head parts, neck, 

 shoulders, back, or even chest. 



But should we not endeavor as our highest ideal to 

 combine " bench-show form " with " field form " ? What 

 meaning has the former if not related to the latter in a 

 hunting dog ? Our aim should be to discover what the 

 latter is, and adapt bench form to field form, or, rather, 

 make them identical. 



What in a general way is "field form," or that best 

 adapted for work in the field, should not be very difficult 

 to determine with the greyhound, the foxhound, the race- 

 horse, and the hunter before us. Evidently, if, as is now 

 the custom, in consequence of the relative scarcity of 

 game, a dog that is both fast and lasting is required, a 

 form approaching a mean between that of the foxhound 

 and the greyhound must be attained. And in considering 

 this, one must not be led astray by the eminence certain 

 strains of dogs have attained. That eminence is no doubt 

 largely due to a specially cultivated and developed intelli- 

 gence, and the subject must be studied on a wider basis 

 than the one sometimes adopted. 



The nature of the country and the climate must not be 



