THX Doa. 



" gentle'" stag, but it should be remembered that that ajiimal 

 wheu brought to bay becomes a rather formidable opponent : its 

 neck is curiously Uth, its antlers shaip and hard aE> steel 

 prongs, and its active hoofs by no means to be despised. 



IHB FOXHOUND. 



There can be no doubt that the foxhound is one of the most 

 highly-prized dogs in Europe. Palatial kennels are erected for 

 its reception, and thousands of pounds spent every year with 

 a view to the maintenance of its present excellence, with im- 

 provements if practicable. It is commonly agreed that the 

 fox-hound originated with the ancient Enghsh hound, improved 

 by judicious crossings. That the greyhound enters into its 

 composition is pretty evident as it is one of the speediest of 

 dogs. This was tested some years ago on the Beacon Cburse 

 at Newmarket. " The length of the course is 4 miles 1 furlong 

 and 132 yards, and this distance was run by the winning dog 

 in eight minutes and a few seconds. The famous race-horse 

 ' Flying Childers,' in running over the same ground, was httle 

 more than half a minute ahead of the hound. Now, if we com- 

 pare the dimensions of the horse and the hound, we shall arrive 

 at a tolerably accurate conception of the extraordinary swift- 

 ness to which the latter animal can attain. In that match no 

 less than sixty horses started together with the competitors, bub 

 of the sixty only twelve were with the dogs at the end of the 

 run." 



Fox-hounds are kept with the severest dlgcipliae. At nome 



(73 



