A DISPUTED POINT OP DOG-LORE. 31 



have crossed their fox-houiicls with greyhoimd 

 blood. 



There are, however, still visible the evidences of 

 two distinct varieties, if not more, of fox-hounds, 

 although daily becoming less perceptible from in- 

 termixture — the smooth and the wire-haired, which 

 differ in form and features. The smooth-coated 

 fox-hound is of smaller size, with a small, neat, 

 and rather thin head, arched neck, and more com- 

 pact form than the wire-haired, which has a large 

 head, coarse neck, and long powerful frame, with 

 great bone and muscular power. The other variety 

 is between the harrier and fox-hound, two packs 

 of which I have seen in Wales, and about whose 

 unde derivatur there could be no question. 



On first seeing one of these packs out hunting, 

 before I knew anything of their descent, I imme- 

 diately remarked to a friend, " Those are not fox- 

 hounds." 



" Not foxhounds ?" he replied ; " why, they 

 have never hunted anything but foxes for years, 

 and are considered quite a crack pack." 



" That," I said, " does not alter the case ; they 

 are not thorough-bred fox-hounds, of that I am 

 positive, although clever hounds of the sort, and no 

 doubt may show very good sport." 



And on his making further inquiries (I would 



