232 MANUAL FOR YOUNG SPORTSMEN. 



There rests only to be named the great Scottish deer- 

 hound, perhaps the noblest of all dogs, and one, though 

 rare as yet in America, yet rapidly coming into demand 

 and use in the Western States, for which he is singularly 

 adapted ; as coursing the stag, and even the glorious elk 

 over the boundless prairies on fleet horses, or running down 

 the gaunt and grisly wolf, are the noblest, the most exciting, 

 and the most truly sporting of all American field-sports. 



The Scottish deerhound, in his true state, is a gigantic 

 greyhound, with hair as rough and wiry as that of an Isle 

 of Sky terrier. It is doubtful whether he is a distinct 

 and aboriginal dog, or merely a carefully improved family 

 of the ordinary, rough Scotch greyhound, which does not 

 exceed the smooth English hound in size and is inferior to 

 it in speed. 



Stonehenge believes it to be merely the common rough 

 dog, improved and increased in size by careful breeding ; 

 but I lean to the opinion that it is of an ancient original 

 British breed, identical with the famous Alans of the 

 early Norman kings, so celebrated in metrical romance, 

 and not improbably indigenous to Cambria, as the equally 

 noble and gigantic Irish wolf-dog, which was a smooth 

 greyhound of vast size and dauntless courage, was indige- 

 nous to old legendary Erin, although both are now unfor- 

 tunately nearly extinct. 



These dogs, the Scottish deerhound I mean, not unfre- 

 quently stand 36 and even 39 inches in height, and have 

 been known to measure 71 inches in girth around the 

 chest. Probably 36 inches height and 57 circumfer- 

 ence may be held the average size. They have great 



