THE OLD STAG-HOUND. 209 



This is how " Shamrock," writing in the New Sporting Magazine 

 for April, 1840, asserts that the IMassy buck-hounds, which he 

 designates as the " crack pack of that day," were bred : — " They 

 were a cross of the Irisli wolf-hound, the Irish bloodhound, and 

 the Spanish dark red bloodhound; and they were afterwards 

 crossed ujjon the large English bull-dog, and partook of that 

 animal's appearance in their silky coats, and large and deep- set 

 under-jaws." What a likely cross this must have been to pro- 

 duce hounds^ any one who has had any experience in breeding 

 can imagine. Yet the same writer, a few lines on, tells us, " Of 

 these hounds and their nose, one anecdote, which many living 

 can attest, may not be deemed out of place. In running their 

 game over the Tipperary mountains, night very often came on, 

 and when darkness precluded hunting any longer, the hounds 

 were stopped (by riding before them and cracking a whip), a 

 stake was then placed in the ground as a mark, and the hounds 

 were brought to the spot next morning, and in most instances 

 succeeded in taking up the scent and recovering their game." 

 From the descrij^tion of Windsor, in the same article, I come to 

 the conclusion that, so far from being a set of mongrels, they 

 were no other than the true stag-hound, the same as were to 

 be found in the Eoyal kennels up to 1815. " Windsor, who 

 deserved the name of ' Ultimus Eomanorum,' was the noblest 

 buck-hound I ever saw (although I have been in their celebrated 

 company ahnost from my infancy). His colour was white, with 

 a small spot of yellow upon each ear, and a large mark of the 

 same colour upon his right flank. He was about thirty inches 

 high, and showed all the points of that lordly breed, having the 

 full and kindly eye, heavy dew-lap, immense forepart, and 

 somewhat cat ham, which belonged to their pristine form." 

 This is, as near as may be, a description of the old stag-hound, 

 and such, no doubt, Windsor was, though he had such an 

 extraordinary pedigree allotted him. As this hound was bred 

 about 1820, he must have been very nearly the last of the old 

 race in the British Isles. 



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