thered " spaniel fashion. It is bold, enduring, and marvellotisly 

 swift. With its aid, the Persians chase that speediest of 

 quadmpeds, the wild ass. It is used, too, against the antelope, 

 and, though no match for that animal, is often enabled to 

 overtake and pxdl it down, by what seems to fair-thinking folks 

 rather a mean " dodge." The Persian antelope-hnnters, be- 

 sides the dogs, are provided with a trained falcon, whose busi- 

 ness it is to hover about the antelope's head, and to flap its 

 wings before its eyes, thus scaring the poor beast, and com- 

 pelling it so to deviate from its proper course that the dogs 

 are enabled to come up with it. 



Last, but not least — ^that is, in the esteem of canine pet- 

 keepers — comes the diminutive, delicate Italian greyhound. It 

 derives its origin from the smooth old English greyhound, and 

 is indeed the same animal dwarfed. Its sole value is as a 

 " toy ;" for although its speed is sufficient to enable it to over- 

 talke such small game as the rabbit, it would be too faint- 

 hearted to seize it ; or, even should it manage to screw its cou- 

 rage, too weak in the jaw to hold it. It dares not stir out on 

 a cold day without an overcoat and mittens, and even then a 

 shift of wind will give it ague. 



The worst feature of Italian greyhound keeping is, that you 

 are never sure of the value of your dog. Fashion is more con- 

 stant even to ladies' bonnets than to this dog. This year it 

 must be free from spots and of a uniform colour. Next year, to be 

 perfection, it must be " starred " on the breast. It may be said, 

 however, that golden fawn is a highly respectable tint for an 

 Italian hound, and that white dogs and red dogs of this 

 breed are held cheaper than any other. 



IHX HABSXEB. 



The description of the foxhound exactly applies to the harrier, 

 except that the latter is five or six inches less ia height. They 

 derive their name from the circumstance that when hare-hunt- 

 ing was fashionable the dogs in question were used for the 

 sport. The harrier is not so swift an animal as the foxhound. 

 Beckford sums up the perfections of the harrier as fdUows, and 

 what was written and accepted in 1779 is, singular to relate, 

 endorsed by huntsmen of the present day : " Let his legs be 

 straight as arrows; his feet round, and not too large; his 

 shoulders back ; his breast rather wide than narrow ; his chest 

 deep ; his back broad ; his head small ; his neck thin ; his tail 

 thick and bushy — if he carry it well so much the better. Such 



