THE SMOOTH ENGLISH GREYHOUND. 23 
Between the hind-quarters and the loin are the hips or “ couples,” 
and these in fact constitute the posterior attachment of the muscles 
of the loins, whose volume is in great measure determined by the 
width of the hips. For this reason wide ragged hips are to be 
desired, and especially in the dog, whose body, being heavier alto- 
gether than that of the bitch, must have proportionately stronger 
propellers. A slight fall from the top of the hip to the haunch- 
bone on each side of the tail is, I think, the most desirable line of 
formation. Proceeding with our examination of the hind-quarters, 
we find that for high speed there must be an increase of length in 
the upper and lower thighs beyond the average, constituting what 
is called “well-bent hind-legs;” but.not only must this shape 
exist, but the stifle-joints must also be set widely apart, or the 
hind-legs cannot be thrust forward in the gallop, which will be 
consequently weak and scrambling. “King Cob,” whose portrait 
illustrates this breed, was remarkable for the possession of widely- 
spread stifles, and his grandson, “ Bedlamite,” possessed them in a 
still higher degree. To this probably was owing the extraordinary 
combination of working power and high speed possessed by “ King 
Cob” and “ Bedlamite,” notably the latter, and most of their 
descendants; while “ Figaro,” son of “ King Cob,” and “ Jacobite,” 
son of “ Bedlamite,” in whom the stifles were not so widely set, 
both displayed even greater speed, but their working powers were 
so limited that they ran out many yards at every turn. After 
insisting on the length of the thighs, both upper (or true) and 
lower, the next thing is to see that they are well clothed with 
muscle; but in the upper thigh-bone, the mass covering the bone, 
and called the quarter or buttock, is often too bulky, leading to a 
dull, heavy style of gallop, and as a consequence to low compara- 
tive speed. This mass should naturally be wiry and firm rather 
than soft and spongy, though even this quality may be exaggerated 
by over-training; for a very hard, unyielding quarter is often an 
indication of the trained dog being ‘‘ overworked.” But the lower 
thigh can scarcely be too muscular, and this point should be care- 
fully examined by the connoisseur. The hocks, again, should be 
long and strong. They should be set and move in the same plane 
ag the elbows, and should be nearly but not quite upright. Great 
length of hock is by no means conducive to a very high speed, but 
