312 EMPLOYMENT OF THE DOG IN HUNTING, ETC. 
powers, but after winning one or two stakes they are not to be 
depended on. This is so common, that, as a rule, most coursers 
do not think it-worth their while to keep their dogs for more than 
one season, and bring up a succession of puppies one year after 
another, reserving only one or two old ones to their second season. 
Tt must be remembered that this animal is kept for a specific pur- 
pose, namely, to compete with his fellows in killing the hare under 
certain conditions, which are defined by general consent and lard 
down in certain specified rules. Hence it is not the greyhound 
which will most certainly pull down his hare that is always to be 
prized, but he that will comply with these rules most fully in the 
act of running her, and will, in other words, score most points ; 
and, in effecting this, four cardinal virtues must be combined as 
far as possible, consisting in speed, working power, bottom, and 
courage, It is almost impossible to obtain the fullest development 
of these several qualities in one individual, and therefore all that 
can be done is to sacrifice those which are of the least importance. 
Thus, excessive speed, as shown from the slips, is hardly consistent 
with a high degree of working power, or with a capability of 
lasting throughout a long course; and for this reason extremely 
fast dogs are not adapted to down countries, where the hares are 
not only stout, but short in their turns. In some localities, how- 
ever, where there is no room for a long course, or where the hares 
are weak, a fast dog, even if he is nct stout, and probably even if 
he is a bad worker, will be able to win a stake; but wherever the 
hares are good, and there is scope for them to display their powers, 
there must be both bottom and working power displayed in order 
to ensure success. The best plan in breeding greyhounds is to 
obtain .a brood bitch of stout blood and good working powers, 
combined with as much speed as possible, but still laying the most 
stress on the first two qualities, and then put her to a dog essen- 
tially fast, but in him also looking to bottom and working power, 
though secondary to speed. Courage is essential in all greyhounds, 
aud may be obtained equally well whether the breed is fast or slow, 
clever in working or the reverse. It must exist with bottom, but 
may also be developed without it, some very soft greyhounds being 
high-couraged, and going till they drop from exhaustion of their 
delicate frames. In lcoking for these several qualities it is neces- 
