NATURAL HISTORY OF THE DOG. 67 



mastiff; a very great error, as no two dogs could well be 

 more dissimilar ; and in one publication, by Mr. Martin, en- 

 titled " Knight's Weekly Volume," we have actually a figure 

 given of the Cuban mastiffs some time since kept in the 

 tower menagerie, taken from the " Menageries," a publica- 

 tion under the patronage of the " Society for Promoting 

 Entertaining Knowledge," but with the new title of " Cuban 

 Bloodhounds or Mastiffs." Naturalists who make such mis- 

 takes must be satisfied to submit to the friendly correction of 

 dog-fanciers. I saw a few years ago a beautiful bitch of this 

 breed in possession of our Surgeon-General, Sir Philip Cramp 

 ton. She was light-colored, evidently very highly bred, of most 

 graceful form, and gentle in her demeanor, but by no means 

 to be trifled with. It is to be regretted that, no thorough- 

 bred mate being to be had, her progeny have not been pre- 

 served pure. 



Closely allied to the Spanish bloodhound is the AFRICAN 

 HOUND, a graceful and beautiful creature, partaking also, to 

 a great extent, of the shape and aspect of the pointer. A 

 leash of these, two males and one female, were brought over 

 some years ago by Colonel (then major) Denham, and by 

 him presented to the then existing Tower Menagerie. The 

 colonel stated to the care-taker, Mr. Cops, that he had himself 

 often hunted the ga/elle with them ; and that they were pos- 

 sessed of extraordinary swiftness, scent, and cunning. These 

 dogs were also, at one period, used, as other bloodhounds, in 

 tracking a fugitive enemy or marauder to his retreat. Co- 

 lonel Denham's hounds appeared quite subdued in confine- 

 ment ; they had lost all their natural fire and sprightliness, 

 had gradually become morose, sullen, and spiteful, and no 

 efforts could induce them to perpetuate their race. 



Neither of these dogs are, however, properly entitled to the 

 ephhet of bloodhound ; they appear to have acquired it .only 

 from their employment, and probably owe their origin to a 

 cross at some remote period between the true, long-eared 

 bloodhound of Britain and the more eager and active grey- 

 hound. I am the more confirmed in this opinion from the 

 fact, that both these dogs closely resemble the cross-bred 

 deerhound, sometimes used in the Highlands of Scotland, 

 where that animal is thus bred. It is only fair that that gentle 

 and affectionate animal the genuine bloodhound a dog far 

 from being either cruel or ferocious, should be distinctly sep 

 arated from these, his disreputable namesakes. 



