34 DOMESTICATED DOGS. 
most powerful breeds. The usual height of the mastiff does not exceed 30 
inches ; and, arguing as above, we may reasonably conclude that, to obtain 
the requisite combination of speed and power, a height of at least 33 inches 
would have been reached. Many writers, however, put his stature down as 
far exceeding that, Goldsmith states he stood 4 feet ; Buffon states one sitting 
measured 5 feet in height ; Bewick, that the Irish wolfhound was about 3 feet 
in height ; Richardson, arguing from the measurements of the skulls of the 
Irish wolfhound preserved at the present time in the Royal Irish Academy, 
pronounced it his opinion that they must have stood 4o inches. 
It is perfectly certain, from these and many other accounts, allusion to which 
want of space renders impossible, that the dog was of vast size and strength, 
and all agree in stating that, whilst his power was that of the mastiff, his form 
was that of the greyhound. The “Sportsman’s Cabinet,” a very valuable old 
book on dogs, published in 1803, which is illustrated. with very good engrav- 
ings after drawings from life by Renaigle, R.A., says—“ The dogs of Greece, 
Denmark, Tartary, and Ireland are the largest and strongest of their species. 
The Irish greyhound is of very ancient race, and still to be found in some few 
remote parts of the kingdom, but they are said to be much reduced in size even 
in their original climate ; they are much larger than the mastiff, and exceed- 
ingly ferocious when engaged.” A very good and spirited drawing of this dog 
is given, which almost entirely coincides with the writer’s conclusion as to 
what the Irish wolfhound was and should be, though a rougher coat and 
somewhat more lengthy frame are desirable. The dogs described in “Ossian” 
are evidently identical with the Irish wolfhound, being of much greater stature 
and power than the present deerhound. From these descriptions, and those 
given elsewhere, we may conclude that, in addition to the dog’s being of great 
stature, strength, and speed, he was also clothed in rough hair. In support 
of this we find that in the present day all the larger breeds of greyhound are 
invariably rough and long as to coat. 
Many writers have incorrectly confounded the Irish wolfhound with the 
Great Dane, though the two dogs vary entirely in appearance, if not so much 
in build. It seems more than probable, however, that the two breeds were 
frequently crossed, which may account for these statements. The late Marquis 
of Sligo possessed some of this breed, which he was in the habit (erroneously) 
of considering Irish wolfhounds. 
Richardson was at very great trouble to get every information as to the pro- 
bable height of this dog, but the conclusions arrived at by him (chiefly based 
on the lengths of the skulls measured by him) would seem to be decidedly 
wrong, for the following reasons :—He states “the skull is 11 inches in the 
bone ;” to that he adds 3 inches for nose, skin, and hair, thus getting 14 inches 
as the length of the living animal’s head. The head of a living deerhound, 
measured by him, is 10 inches, the dog standing 29 inches ; he then calculates 
that the height of the Irish wolfhound would have been 4o inches, taking for 
his guide the fact that the 29 inches dog’s head was 1o inches. This would 
appear to be correct enough, but the allowance of 3 inches for extras is absurd - 
