98 DOGS AND ALL ABOUT THEM 



an exceedingly grand specimen of his race, strong framed, 

 with plenty of hair of a blue brindle colour. Captain Graham 's 

 own dog Keildar, who had been trained for deerstalking in 

 Windsor Park, was perhaps one of the most elegant and 

 aristocratic-looking Deerhounds ever seen. His full height 

 was 30 inches, girth 33$ inches, and weight, 95 Ibs., his colour 

 bluish fawn, slightly brindled, the muzzle and ears being blue. 

 His nearest competitor for perfection was, after Hector, 

 probably Mr. Hood Wright's Bevis, a darkish red brown 

 brindle of about 29 inches. Mr. Wright was the breeder of 

 Champion Selwood Morven, who was the celebrity of his race 

 about 1897, and who became the property of Mr. Harry 

 Rawson. This stately dog was a dark heather brindle, stand- 

 ing 3 2 t inches at the shoulder, with a chest girth of 34^ 

 inches. 



A few years ago breeders were inclined to mar the beauty of 

 the Deerhound by a too anxious endeavour to obtain great 

 size rather than to preserve the genuine type ; but this error 

 has been sufficiently corrected, with the result that symmetry 

 and elegance conjoined with the desired attributes of speed are 

 not sacrificed. The qualities aimed at now are a height of 

 something less than 30 inches, and a weight not greater than 

 105 Ibs., with straight fore-legs and short, cat-like feet, a 

 deep chest, with broad, powerful loins, slightly arched, and 

 strength of hind-quarters, with well-bent stifles, and the hocks 

 well let down. Straight stifles are objectionable, giving a 

 stilty appearance. Thick shoulders are equally a blemish to 

 be avoided, as also a too great heaviness of bone. The 

 following is the accepted standard of merit. 



Head The head should be broadest at the ears, tapering slightly 

 to the eyes, with the muzzle tapering more decidedly to the nose. 

 The muzzle should be pointed, but the teeth and lips level. The head 

 should be long, the skull flat rather than round, with a very slight rise 

 over the eyes, but with nothing approaching a stop. The skull should 

 be coated with moderately long hair which is softer than the rest 

 of the coat. The nose should be black (though in some blue-fawns 

 the colour is blue) and slightly aquiline. In the lighter-coloured dogs 

 a black muzzle is preferred. There should be a good moustache* of 



