DIET. 285 



two parts of respiratory materials in twelve. This will account 

 for the wonderful muscular powers of the animal, and the extra- 

 ordinary development of its propulsive hind quarters in proportion 

 to its chest and fore quarters. 



The mode of rearing which I have described, is in my opinion 

 undoubtedly the best ; but there are various articles of food in 

 addition to those I have mentioned, which are in common use 

 among the owners of greyhounds. One of the most common, and 

 at the same time the most unfit for the purpose, is composed of 

 barleymeal and greaves ; now, either of these alone is bad enough, 

 because of their tending to produce fat instead of muscle ; but 

 why the two should be combined, I am at a loss to know. The 

 reason given me by a friend of mine who adopts the plan is, that 

 there ought to be a great difference made between the ordinary 

 food of the greyhound and that which he gets when in training. 

 Now, if this is correct in principle, then undoubtedly the plan is a 

 good one, for nothing except rice is more unfit for training purposes 

 than barleymeal , but the principle itself is bad, and is just as 

 absurd as would be the rearing of thorough-bred colts without 

 corn, in order that they should also feel the difference when 

 put in training. And yet we know that they are fed upon corn, 

 with the happiest results, from the earliest period at which they 

 can be persuaded to chew it. I have also been told that barley- 

 meal and greaves must be good, for dogs will often run better 

 upon it than they afterwards do when in training upon mutton 

 and bread. This also I do not dispute, for I am quite sure that 

 dogs accustomed to any food, no matter what, run better upon it 



