642 MANUAL OF MODERN FARRIERY 



are produced, by the other possessing a more perfect 

 symmetry, more especially when the female is beauti- 

 fully formed. But this ought never to be depended 

 upon, unless the sire or dam have very pre-eminent 

 qualities, which it is desirable to possess. Crosses 

 should be carefully guarded against. 



"Consider well 

 His lineage ; what his father did of old, 

 Chiefs of the pack, and first to climb the rock, 

 Or plunge into the deep." 



SOMERVILLE. 



In dogs of the chase, care should be taken that the 

 dog is stout, his shape good, and colour of the right 

 kind, his nose fine, and that he has a proper method 

 of hunting. Be sure that he is no babbler or skirter. 

 The former is the worst fault a hound can have, and 

 is apt to be followed by others. Those that skeit are 

 always unsteady and changing, and lose more foxes 

 than they kill. If the dogs are otherwise good, this 

 imperfection may be rectified by a more steady parent 

 of the opposite sex. 



Breeding from the same stock is to be strictly 

 avoided, as it is found that all animals (and even man 

 himself) soon degenerate by too close a union in blood. 

 If, therefore, a perfect race is wished, every possible 

 attention should be paid to obtain alliances betwixt 

 the sexes by animals not connected by consanguinity, 

 or at least, not very near. 



The time of producing in most animals lies with 

 the female. In the dog species the spring is the 

 usual season of desire, commencing generally in 

 February or March ; and this is certainly the best 

 time of the year ; for puppies whelped in summer are 

 always stronger and more likely to be straight and 

 firm about the joints than those of a winter litter, 



