624 CARNIVORES. 
were formerly in Ireland two races of wolf-dogs, one of which was a greyhound 
and the other a mastiff, somewhat resembling the great Dane; and it is shown 
from an old figure that there was also a cross breed between the greyhound and 
the mastiff-like dog, in which, however, the characteristics of the latter pre- 
dominated. Skulls of these dogs have been discovered in various parts of Ireland, 
which indicate animals of great size and power. Some of these, belonging to the 
mastiff-like breed, are considerably larger than the skull of a German boarhound, 
which stood 324 inches at the shoulder. 
Other Grey- In Eastern Europe and Western Asia there are several well- 
hounds. marked breeds of long-haired greyhounds or deerhounds differing 
more or less markedly from one another, of which the Grecian, Persian, and 
PERSIAN GREYHOUND (4 nat. size). 
Russian are the best known. The Grecian greyhound, which is used for coursing 
hares and can run either by scent or by sight, differs from the English greyhound 
by its completely pendent ears, the moderately long and silky hair clothing the 
body and the thickly-haired setter-like tail. The Albanian greyhound is a some- 
what heavily-built animal, with finer hair on the body and longer and coarser hai 
on the tail. The Persians have long been celebrated for the excellence of their 
greyhounds, which, although less fleet than the English breed, are used in relays for 
