THE HIND-QUARTER. 27 



more than a moderately-short one, provided the knuckles are 

 powerful and well up, and that the toes do not spread ; and 

 provided, also, that the sole is thick and covered with a good 

 horny skin. 



THE HIND-QUARTER is even of more importance than the fore- 

 quarter, and is composed of three separate divisions, varying 

 greatly in total and comparative length in different individuals ; 

 these three divisions are, the true thigh I, between the hip and 

 stifle joints ; the false or lower thigh m, answering to the leg of 

 man, and situated between the stifle and hock; and lastly, the 

 leg n, between the hock and foot. The two first of these divisions 

 should be nearly equal in length ; and in most well-proportioned 

 greyhounds are each about one-fifth longer than the lower arm ; 

 whilst the leg from the hock to the ground should bear about 

 the same relation to each of the thigh bones as the fore-pastern 

 does to the arm ; that is to say, it should be about one-half, 

 generally rather more than less. Many good greyhounds vary 

 much in these proportions, as will be seen by examining the 

 accompanying series of portraits ; and the stifle j oint is often 

 placed far from midway between the hip joint and the hock 

 generally it is a little nearer the hip but I have seen it much 

 lower than the mid-point, but never in a greyhound of good pace 

 and performance. With a greyhound thus formed, having both 

 the upper and lower thigh bone one-fifth longer than the lower 

 arm, with the hock also placed a little above the level of the knee, 

 and the top of the shoulder-blade only the length of the thigh bone 

 above the elbow, it follows either that the top of the hind-quarter 



