222 



THE BEASTS OF PREY. 



ankle-joints and is carried in an upward line, with the 

 end curved toward the thighs, and seldom hangs 

 straight down. The short hair is coarse, but smooth 

 and of varying colors, usually black or brown above, 

 russet below, or it may be, a uniform brown or yel- 

 lowish hue, or even gray; and these colors may be 

 spotted with colors differing from the ground-tint. 

 As a rule, there are two light russet spots over both 

 eyes. 



Senses and All Dachshunds have a very fine 

 Traits of the scent and an exceedingly acute fac- 



Badger-Dog. uity of hearing; they possess cour- 

 age, reasoning power, bravery and endurance to a 

 high degree, and may therefore be used for any 

 kind of hunting. They will even boldly attack Wild 



THE STAGHOUND. A famous but very rare species of Hound, which in its pure breed is now said to be 



only found in the royal kennels of England, is the Staghound. It excels all other Dogs in speed and endurance and 

 is especially adapted for the hunting of fleet-footed game. It is appropriately depicted by the side of a wounded Stag. 

 {Canis familiaris sagax acceptorius ,') 



Boars, and protect themselves very effectually from 

 the savage onslaught of these animals, as the Boar 

 cannot seize them so easily as he can taller Dogs. 

 They are sagacious, docile, faithful, lively and sym- 

 pathetic, but are very vigilant and strangers find it 

 hard to get acquainted with them. Unfortunately it 

 is also true that they are very cunning and thievish, 

 and in old age become sullen, sulky, addicted to bit- 

 ing and often treacherous. 



During the chase they give one a great deal of 

 trouble. The Dachshund undertakes the pursuit 

 of game with astonishing eagerness, and will enter 

 the most impenetrable thickets. Owing to his ex- 

 cellent scent he soon finds a quarry, and then he 

 forgets everything else. Although he may have 

 received, on previous occasions, severe chastisement 

 for his disobedience, still he will let the sportsman 

 whistle, call and look for him in vain; as long as he 

 sees the quarry or can track it by, scent, he goes his 

 own way with an obstinacy that is hardly equaled 



by any other Dog. He will spend hours in follow- 

 ing a Hare, or in digging and burrowing in some 

 hole in which a Rabbit has concealed itself; and 

 indifferent to fatigue, he will hurry after a Deer 

 utterly forgetful of time and space. When he is 

 tired, he lies down, rests and then resumes his hunt. 

 For these reasons the Dachshund is usually em- 

 ployed only for one kind of hunting — to drive ani- 

 mals out of their subterranean burrows. 



The English The English Turnspit is bred in France 

 Turnspit and Great Britain ( Cams familiaris 

 Described, vertagus rectipes). It differs from the 

 breeds common in Germany mainly in its sturdier 

 shape, larger heacj, shorter snout, straight fore-legs 

 and a longer and thinner tail. It is a true Dachs- 

 hund in its character, be- 

 ing as eager, lively, vio- 

 lent and pugnacious as 

 its relatives. It is more 

 rarely used for hunting 

 than it is to guard the 

 house and perhaps also 

 to turn the spit. In this 

 latter capacity it is put 

 into a drum which serves 

 as a turning - wheel. It 

 can occasionally be seen 

 at work in restaurants 

 and inns in French towns. 

 It serves its term without 

 grumbling, but neither 

 cheering words nor chas- 

 tising can compel it to 

 work longer than a cer- 

 tain customary length of 

 time. 



The Otter- The Otter- 



HoundaRare Hound, ac- 



Species. cording to 



some authorities,, is a 



cross breed between the 



Deer-Hound and Terrier, 



nearer to the latter than 



to the former. It is of 



vigorous frame, has a 



long head, a pointed 



muzzle, long, drooping 



ears, a long body, straight 



legs and a rough coat of 



varying colors, the hair 



being of medium length. 



It derives its name from its ability as a hunter of 



the Otter. 



THE HOUNDS. 



The group of Dogs, ranged under the common 

 name of Hounds {Canis familiaris sagax) displays a 

 great variety of types and forms ; they are much 

 more open to instruction than Dachshunds and 

 are indisputably entitled to rank first among the 

 domestic Dogs. The largest number of varieties of 

 Hounds is found in Great Britain, where a great 

 deal was accomplished in the breeding of these 

 excellent Dogs much earlier than German people 

 bethought themselves of undertaking the work of 

 improvement. 



AH Hounds are born hunters, and if this happens 

 not to be true in exceptional cases, they are good 

 for nothing. Careful breeding is of more impor- 

 tance with Hounds than with any other Dogs, and 

 one always finds that good mothers or tried, skillful 



