128 



THE DOGS OP THE, BEITISH ISLANDS. 



century, if not longer. That the ciistom is useful in preventing " canker," either 

 from foul blood or mechanical injury, is clear enough, and I can see no possible 

 objection to it except from Mr. Colam's point of view. " Idstone " dislikes it on 

 the score that the full ear " is a natural protection to the eye . in drawing a covert 

 or thorny brake, and that it is given by Nature for that purpose ;" but I confess 

 I cannot understand how this can be the case unless the drawing is performed 

 in a retrograde manner, as, even when at rest, the ear does not approach the 

 eye; and in drawing a thorny brake, it must be pushed back some inches 

 behind the organ which, he says, it covers. The sole use of an abnormally large 

 ear, as far as I can see, is to aid the internal organ of hearing, and it is only 

 found in hounds which depend on co-operation for success that is to say, who 

 hunt in packs. In this kind of hunting, the ear is required to ascertain what is 

 given out by the tongues of the leading hounds, so as to enable " the tail " to come 

 up; but whether or no "rounding" diminishes the sensitiveness of the organ of 

 hearing, I am by no means prepared to say. It is, however, admitted by physio- 

 logists that the external ear aids the sense of hearing, and as this large folding 

 ear is confined to hounds hunting in packs, which, as above remarked, depend 

 on hearing for co-operation, it is reasonable to suppose that the hound's large 

 ear is given him to aid in this kind of hunting ; and, if so, it is by no means 

 clear that rounding is an unmixed good, but that it has not the disadvantages 

 attributed to it by " Idstone," is as clear to me as noonday. 



Another mental peculiarity of the foxhound is his superior " dash " and 

 tendency to cast forward rather than backward, for the bloodhound, otter hound, 

 and old-fashioned heavy harrier still have a tendency to dwell on a scent, and 

 sitting on their haunches mark their enjoyment of it by throwing their tongues 

 heavily and with a prolonged series of notes, during which their game is getting 

 away from them. Such a deed would sentence any foxhound to the halter if 

 seen by his master, and undoubtedly it is by selection, or possibly by crossing 

 with the greyhound, that the change has been effected. However produced, 

 there is no doubt that it exists, and that the foxhound is distinguished by it 

 from all other varieties of his class. 



The points of the foxhound are as follows : 



Yalue. 



Head 15 



Neck 5 



Shoulders 10 



Chest and back ribs 10 



io 



POINTS OF THE FOXHOUND. 



Yalue. 



Back and loin 10 



Hind quarters 10 



Elbows 5 



Legs and feet 20 



45 

 Grand Total 100. 



Colour and coat. 



Stern 



Symmetry 



Value. 

 .. 5 

 .. 5 

 5 



15 



1. The head (value 15) should be of full size, but by no means heavy. Brow 

 pronounced but not high or sharp. There must be good length and breadth, 



