228 PECULIAR 'CHARACTERISTICS OF VARIOUS STALLIONS. 



His portrait indicates particularly well the characteristic points in 

 his conformation, which have been handed down to many of his 

 best sons and daughters. These consist in the bent and otherwise 

 well-developed stifles which are set on unusually widely, and in 

 the drooping hind-quarters and somewhat arched loin. He was a 

 grand dog in appearance, but to those who stood out for a level 

 back his quarters were always an objection. 



WILTSHIKE.* Next on our list comes the Wiltshire greyhound, 

 which is the very opposite of the Newmarket dog, being a small, 

 muscular, compact animal, more like a terrier than one of Lord 

 Stradbroke's or Mr. Fyson's kennel, but showing more speed than 

 would be expected from his appearance, with untiring energy and 

 great working powers, which are of a totally different style to those 

 of the open, speedy, racing animal I have already described. From 

 his width of chest and back, he is able to stop himself easily, and 

 come round at any angle ; and he then shoots out again like the 

 pellet from a boy's pop-gun. By this peculiarity of form, with a 

 short-running yet strong hare, such as are so often found in 

 Wiltshire, he is capable of showing to great advantage; but in 

 going through a stake, he is apt to meet with a straight-backed 

 puss, and then he is almost sure to be put hors de combat by a 

 speedier antagonist. Many of these little greyhounds, not weigh- 

 ing more than from 30 Ibs. to 35 Ibs., have won large stakes in 



* The portrait of ' Cactus/ at page 202, gives a good idea of the old Wilt- 

 shire greyhound, though longer in the back than the animal herself, and 

 though her pedigree is only composed of one-half of Wiltshire blood. I have 

 not I am sorry to say been able to procure any good portrait of the pure 

 old Wiltshire greyhound. 



