158 COURSING 



age of successful breeding seems to tally with this period. 

 But there are very great exceptions. We have not been able to 

 go further back than Lord Orford's Czarina, who was pupped 

 about 1778. She was the grandmother of Snowball. It is 

 recorded of her that she won forty-seven matches, and never 

 was beaten. A melancholy interest attaches to her last appear- 

 ance, as her owner. Lord Orford, was so excited at seeing his 

 favourite win that he fell off his pony and died. 



This bitch is the progenitor of all our best greyhounds, we 

 might almost say of all greyhounds of the present day. She 

 was exceptional in every way. Not only was she an exception- 

 ally good performer, but she was exceptional in breeding : 

 we are told that she did not breed till she was thirteen years 

 old, and then she bred Claret and Vengeance, two very good 

 greyhounds, of which Claret was the sire of Snowball and 

 Major. This is more exceptional than it would seem at first 

 sight ; for very few bitches have bred at that age, and none that 

 we know of have produced winners, even if they had litters. Mr. 

 G. Carruthers's Meg, by Terrona, the winner of the Waterloo 

 Cup, is the only instance we have come across at all like that of 

 Czarina. She bred Bellini when she was twelve years old, and 

 he in his turn has got some winners. We believe she had a litter 

 when she was fourteen years old, but do not think any of the 

 produce could be called successful. It is rare for greyhounds 

 to produce anything good at the age of ten years. Out of a 

 list of about 2,400 successful breeders, there are only about 1 10 

 of that age or more. Those of the age of eleven and twelve 

 are very few indeed, certainly not twenty ; while not one has 

 attained the age of Czarina thirteen years. It is to be under- 

 stood that the point dwelt upon is success in breeding, not in 

 running. It is possible that Misterton may have winners to 

 represent him begotten when he was thirteen years old ; but 

 we cannot tell if they will, in their turn, be successful as 

 breeders. That is the point. David and Meg are the only 

 two we know who have produced successful breeders at the age 

 of twelve years. 



