Foxbotmds - 137 



Redbone stock, and the outcome was a foxhound 

 par excellence. They were our first fox-killers. 

 Falling into Birdsong's hands, they were bred to 

 a point of nicety perhaps never before equalled. 

 One mistake, however, he seems to have made ; 

 in trying for extreme speed, beauty, and quality, 

 he rendered them somewhat tender and delicate. 

 Still, his chief aim was to breed fox-catchers, and 

 this they were beyond peradventure. Trigg, in 

 uniting these with the Maupins, has succeeded, 

 by long and persistent endeavor, in fusing the 

 fleetness of one and the stamina of the other to a 

 high degree. 



July blood represents the influences of one 

 hound, chiefly as bred on the Birdsong strain. A 

 short time before Trigg's visit to Birdsong, Miles 

 Harris of Georgia had purchased from the Gos- 

 nell pack of Maryland the ever memorable July. 

 This hound was very strongly bred in the Irish 

 blood, and was also obtained for a fancy price. 

 As an individual he was wonderful for speed, en- 

 ergy, and endurance ; about the medium in size, 

 and in color a " dingy black," with long brush on 

 his tail, and feathered both on his fore and hind 

 legs. Some of the Birdsongs procured by Trigg 

 were immediately descended from him, and were 

 had at a larger figure than any of the others, 

 showing the estimation in which Birdsong held 

 his get. Such was the fancy of the Georgians 



