228 COVERT-SIDE SKETCHES. 



Whaddon Hall, the Duke of Grafton's, Lord Tankerville's, Lord 

 Bagot's, and Sir Clifford Constable's ; and I lately saw a most 

 promising puppy, belonging to her Majesty, which I under- 

 stood came from the New Forest — a spot where the breed might 

 have been expected to remain, perhaps, longer than in any 

 other, owing to the forest having so long preserved its integrity 

 as a royal chase. But I have every reason to believe that 

 the breed is nearly extinct even there, having myself made most 

 diligent inquiries on the point, Avhen in the forest a few months 

 back. (In this Mr. Meyrick was mistaken.) Marmion, whose 

 portrait illustrates the present number, is, perhaps, the purest 

 and finest specimen of the breed now in existence, possessing, 

 in an eminent degree, all the fine qualities which have so long 

 distinguished this noble race ; he is at present the property of 

 Lord William Beresford. It will be seen that the great 

 characteristics of the breed, so far as we can judge from the 

 description given of thum by old writers, are very truly pre- 

 served and fully developed. The head of the bloodhound is 

 the chief point to look at for the indubitable marks of the 

 animal's breed. The forehead should be broad and high, the 

 skin exceedingly loose, the eyes deeply sunk into the head, 

 having a grave, contemplative expression, and showing a deep 

 crimson line of flesh under the eyeballs; the ears should be 

 long, low set, and pendulous. The chaps should be very thin, 

 with the flesh hanging long and loose. The limbs and body 

 should be large and heavy, and, although the colour varies, the 

 prevailing and favourite one is black and rather light tan, 

 intermixed with grey along the sides and shoulders ; but 

 when of a light colour, as they often are, the extremities, 

 such as the muzzle, ears, and centre of the back and tail, 

 should be dark. A very great difl'erence, however, exists be- 

 tween the dog and bitch. In no other kind of dog are the 

 masculine and feminine character so distinctly marked as in 

 the bloodhound ; scarcely any of these points I have en- 

 deavoured to describe, as properly belonging to the dog, being 



