THE GREYHOUND. 



257 



on account of its spotted hide, receives the rather ignoble title of Plum-Pudding Dog. 

 The height of the animal is rather more than two feet. 



IT is hardly possible to conceive an animal which is more entirely formed for speed 

 and endurance than a well-bred GREYHOUND. Its long slender legs, with their whip- 

 cord-like muscles, denote extreme length of stride and rapidity of movement ; its deep, 

 broad chest, affording plenty of space for the play of large lungs, shows that it is 

 capable of long continued exertion ; while its sharply pointed nose, snake-like neck 

 and slender, tapering tail, are so formed as to afford the least possible resistance to 

 the air, through which the creature passes with such exceeding speed. 



The chief use if use it can be termed of the Greyhound, is in coursing the hare, 

 and exhibiting in this chase its marvellous swiftness, and its endurance of fatigue. 



DANISH DOG. Can/s familiarls. 



In actual speed, the Greyhound far surpasses the hare, so that, if the frightened chase 

 were to run in a straight line, she would be soon snapped up by the swifter hounds. 

 But the hare is a much smaller and lighter animal than her pursuer, and, being furnished 

 with very short forelegs, is enabled to turn at an angle to her course without a check, 

 while the heavier and longer limbed Greyhounds are carried far beyond their prey by 

 their own impetus before they can alter their course, and again make after the hare. 



On this principle, the whole of coursing depends, the hare making short quick turns, 

 and the Greyhounds making a large circuit every time that the hare changes her line. 

 Two Greyhounds are sent after each hare, and matched against each other, for the pur- 

 pose of trying their comparative strength and speed. Some hares are so crafty and 



