24*8 THE DOGS OP THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 



among bulldogs, mastiffs, St. Bernards, and bloodhounds, in whom the head is the 

 most prominent feature, the male has the advantage in a mixed class, so in the 

 greyhound the reverse holds good ; and, on searching the prize lists since the 

 institution of dog shows, it will be seen that nineteen -twentieths of the prizes have 

 been won by bitches in the class for Italian greyhounds, even leaving out of the 

 calculation that wonderfully beautiful animal above mentioned, Mr. Bourke's Molly 

 (afterwards Mr. Macdonald's). With the exception of Billy (alluded to above), I 

 have never yet seen an Italian greyhound dog approaching perfection in shape, and 

 I am therefore compelled to fall back upon the nearest approach to it within my 

 reach, namely, Mr. Pirn's Bismark, a considerable prize-winner at Bristol and in 

 Ireland, although he was afterwards twice unnoticed beyond a high commendation 

 at Birmingham and the Alexandra Park Shows. These defeats were, however, 

 mainly owing to the excellence of the bitches amongst which he was classed ; for at 

 Birmingham there were four of that sex only a trifle behind the celebrated Molly in 

 shape and colour, while at the Alexandra Park there were nearly as many. Bismark 

 is, nevertheless, a very neat dog ; and, barring his round head and his colour, which 

 has a shade of blue in the fawn, he is very little behind the first-class bitches of his 

 day. His pedigree is unknown, so that it is not possible to trace these defects to 

 their cause ; but I have little doubt that, at some time more or less remote, a terrier 

 cross in his pedigree would creep out. At all events, he is the best dog exhibited of 

 late years, and as such I have selected him for Mr. Baker's pencil. Crucifix, his 

 companion in the engraving, was, like him, passed over at the above shows, obtaining 

 only a second prize at the shows recently held at Birmingham and Alexandra 

 Palace. My own opinion, however, was strongly in her favour at both of these 

 shows ; and, in spite of the high authority of Messrs. Hedley and Handley (the 

 respective judges), I have accordingly selected her for portraiture as the most worthy 

 possessor of Molly's mantle. Her beautiful golden-fawn colour is even superior to 

 Molly's dove-colour, and her general shape and symmetry are nearly equal ; but no 

 doubt in head Molly has the advantage, and if the two were shown together, both in 

 their prime, the latter would weigh down the scale considerably. Like Bismark, she 

 has had more honour in her own country than at Birmingham and London, having 

 been awarded the first prize at Manchester in 1875 and 1877, and also at Glasgow 

 in 1875 and 1876. She is by Bruce's Prince out of his Beauty ; Prince by Old 

 Prince Speed ; Beauty by Chief Tit. 



The Italian greyhound, as now bred to a weight of 51b. or 61b., is wholly 

 useless in any kind of chase ; but he was formerly sometimes slipped at rabbits, and 

 I have seen a brace, belonging to a lady who was a well-known follower of the chase 

 in Worcestershire thirty years ago, course and kill rabbits in very good style. But, 

 though imported from Italy, they were about lOlb. or 121b. in weight, and in these 

 days would be classed as " whippets." This last named breed is extensively used at 

 Manchester and in the Midland districts for rabbit coursing, and is a cross between 

 the Italian and the English greyhound, or between the latter and the smooth 

 English terrier. All these greyhound breeds are usually considered to be void of 

 intelligence and fidelity ; but this is a mistake, and certainly the trick performed by 



