368 



UTILITARIAN ZOOLOGY 



by the ancient Romans, some hunting by scent [nare sagaces), 

 while others, more fleet l^pedibus celeres), were let slip when the 



game was in sia"ht. 



To enumerate all the existing breeds employed in sport would 

 be both tiresome and unnecessary. The names of many, e.g. 

 fox-hound, deer-hound, and otter-hound, to some extent serve as 

 an indication of their character. The exaggeration of natural 

 instincts in artificial directions would appear to have led to the 



evolution of " point- 

 ers " (fig. 1260) and 

 " retrievers ". Dar- 

 ^\in suooests that the 



fig. 1261. — Cheetah ' Cynailui-ns jid'at^s^ pursuing an Indian Antelope 



original act of "pointing" was simply the pause which a car- 

 nivorous animal often makes before springing upon its prey. 



It is further interesting to note, that when we employ a pack 

 of hounds to hunt down an animal by scent we are simply 

 making use of the natural methods used by similar forms, when 

 wild, in the pursuit of prey. 



The Cheetah, or Hunting Leopard (Cvnailurus jubatus, 

 fig. 1 261). — This long-legged animal, which is enabled by its 

 fleetness to capture prey in a more straightforward way than is 

 usual among felines, is employed by the native dignitaries of 

 India for coursing antelopes. In former times this variety of 

 sport was practised very largely, and is of ancient origin, having 



