THE IRISH WOLFHOUND 91 



patience had been well rewarded. By the year 1881 the 

 Irish Wolfhound had been practically restored, although it has 

 taken close upon a quarter of a century to produce the mag- 

 nificent champions Cotswold and Cotswold Patricia, those 

 brilliant examples of the modern breed a brace of 

 Wolfhounds who bear testimony to the vast amount 

 of energy and perseverance which Captain Graham and his 

 enthusiastic colleague Major Gamier displayed in evolving from 

 rough material the majestic breed that holds so prominent 

 a position to-day. 



There is little to be gathered from ancient writings con- 

 cerning the size and appearance of the Irish Wolfhounds in 

 early times. Exaggerated figures are given as to height and 

 weight ; but all authorities agree that they were impressively 

 large and imposing dogs, and that they were regarded as the 

 giants of the canine race. 



It seems extraordinary that so little should have been 

 accurately known and recorded of a dog which at one time 

 must have been a familiar figure in the halls of the Irish kings. 

 It was no mere mythical animal like the heraldic griffin, but 

 an actual sporting dog which was accepted as a national 

 emblem of the Emerald Isle, associated with the harp and the 

 shamrock. 



As regards the origin of the Irish Wolfhound, more than one 

 theory is advanced. By some authorities it is suggested that 

 it was the dog which we now know as the Great Dane. Others 

 hold that as there were rough-coated Greyhounds in Ireland, 

 it is this dog, under another name, which is now accepted. 

 But probably the late Captain Graham was nearer the truth 

 when he gave the opinion that the Irish hound that was 

 kept to hunt wolves has never become extinct at all, but is 

 now represented in the Scottish Deerhound, only altered a 

 little in size and strength to suit the easier work required of 

 it that of hunting the deer. This is the more probable, 

 as the fact remains that the chief factor in the resuscitation of 

 the Irish Wolfhound has been the Scottish Deerhound. 



