388 



rPLA>"D SHOOTING. 



not be so heavy as to lose its suppleness. The hips 

 should be wide and bony, with pronoanced angles. 



The quarters (five points) should be powerfully 

 muscled, but their best quality is indicated by width 

 rather than thickness of the ham. Thick, showy hams 

 indicate great development of certain muscles little used 

 in the work of running, while the wide ham indicates 

 the development of those most needed. The after-part 

 of the ham should seem to reach low down on the ' ' second 

 thigh" (Fig. 5, A). The stifles (three points) should be 

 let down low by great length of femur (thigh-bone); must 



be weU bent, and carried widely 

 apart, so as to allow the legs to be 

 reached well forward in the gal- 

 lop, giving a long stride. The 

 bend of stifle comes from the 

 length of femur and the dog's habit 

 of hunting with head up, to feel 

 for the body scent; whereas a fast 

 hound must also have a long 

 femur, without which his action 

 would be weak, but from his habit 

 of carrying his head low he stands 

 high behind and has a sti-aight 

 stifle. Legs (four points) must be 

 straight; should have good strength 

 of bone in both shanks and joints, 

 and the '"second thigh" should 

 be well muscled (Fig. 5, A). The 

 elbows (three points) must be let 

 down as far as possible, and should 



Fig. 5— REAR VIEW. 



be turned neither 



out nor in — the former being the 



lesser fault. They should be very loose and free in their 

 action, not closely bound to the side. The hocks (three 

 points) should be strong, bony, and very flrm against flex- 



