124 THE DOGS OF THE BEITISH ISLANDS. 



majesty to the heads of their favourites ; but in both cases I think there has been 

 a loss in point of temperament ; for there can be no doubt that the bloodhound is 

 not very amenable to the discipline required in these two breeds. Occasionally an 

 exception is met with, in which a pure bloodhound is controllable under all 

 circumstances ; but, as a rule, I have no doubt that he is a very unmanageable dog, 

 and can only be employed usefully by letting him have his own way, to work out 

 his own instinctive promptings and appetite. The Hon. Grantley Berkeley's 

 celebrated dog Druid was beyond even his control when excited, and, with the 

 long experience of dogs and well-known pluck of that gentleman, it must be 

 something out of the common that would make him give way to any animal. 

 Like the bulldog, the bloodhound is amiable enough when not excited ; but once 

 get his " hackles up," and he is not easily turned from his object. It is sometimes 

 asserted that this character only belongs to badly-bred animals ; but whenever I 

 have had the opportunity of visiting a kennel of highly-bred bloodhounds, I have 

 put the matter to the test by asking the master to show a whip to his dog, and, 

 with the exception of Mr. Ray's dogs, which seem remarkably amiable, the result 

 has always satisfied me that he dared not use it that is to say, if the dog was 

 at liberty. Personally, I have had no experience of the breed except in the case 

 of the bitch, two of which (both very highly bred) I have possessed at different 

 times, and certainly their tempers were not to be depended on, though they would 

 not turn on me, as I have more than once seen a dog hound do on his master. 

 My experience and the evidence afforded by that of others lead me, therefore, to 

 conclude that the temper of the bloodhound is not of such a nature as to make 

 him a pleasant and safe companion ; but I am bound to state that several breeders 

 who have considerable practical acquaintance with this dog have recently given an 

 entirely opposite opinion in the columns of the Field, and the question must 

 therefore be considered undecided. In his style of hunting he usually carries his 

 head very low, and is slow in his quest, dwelling on the scent when at all doubtful 

 until he has assured himself of its truth. In pace and stamina he cannot compare 

 with the foxhound, who could beat him by one-half at the very least in both 

 respects. His voice is full, deep in tone, and melodious; and this in itself is 

 regarded by many as a claim entitling him to very high consideration. 

 The points are numerically as follows : 



POINTS OF THE BLOODHOUND. 



Yalue. 



Head 15 



Ears aud eyes 10 



Flews 5 



Neck . 5 



Chest and shoulders... 10 

 Back and back ribs ... 10 

 Legs and feet 20 



40 

 Grand Total 100. 



Value. | Value. 



Colour and coat 10 



Stern 5 



Symmetry 10 



26 



1. The head (value 15) is the peculiar feature of this breed ; and I have 

 accordingly estimated it at a very high rate. In the male it is large in all its 



