24 THE DESCRIPTIVE ANATOMY OF THE DOG. 



proportion to the whole body, which is more neat and elegant 

 also. No courser should omit to examine the teeth, which 

 require to be strong and long enough to hold the hare when 

 taken. 



THE NECK of the greyhound, in the old rhyme, was compared 

 to that of a drake, and of all the comparisons therein contained 

 this is the nearest to the truth. It certainly is not so long or 

 so round as a drake's, but sometimes approaches very nearly to 

 it. This form will enable the greyhound to seize his game while 

 in full stride, without losing his balance; but I have known 

 many good killers with short necks, almost like that of a bull ; 

 still, as a rule, a long neck is of great importance, and should 

 be well considered in selecting a cross. Too often the thick 

 compact form has also the bull neck, but in some breeds, as in 

 the { Curler ' and ' Vraye Foy ' family, which are very muscular, 

 the neck is proportionally long. 



The points I have been considering are not immediately con- 

 nected with speed ; but now I have to describe the framework by 

 which locomotion is effected. It must be apparent to any one 

 who watches the gallop, that its perfection depends upon the 

 power of extending the shoulders and fore-legs as far as possible, 

 as well as of bringing the hind-legs rapidly forward to give the 

 propulsive stroke. Upon the due relation between these two 

 parts of the action everything depends; and if the one part is 

 more perfect than the other that is to say, if the hind-quarters 

 are well brought into action, while the shoulders do not thrust the 

 fore-legs well forward the action is laboured and slow; whilst, 



