232 MANUAL FOR YOUNG SPORTSMEN. 
There rests only to be named the great Scottish deer- 
hound, perhaps the noblest of all dogs, and one, though 
rare as yet in America, yet rapidly coming into demand 
and use in the Western States, for which he is singularly 
adapted ; as coursing the stag, and even the glorious elk 
over the boundless prairies on fleet horses, or running down 
the gaunt and grisly wolf, are the noblest, the most exciting, 
and the most truly sporting of all American field-sports. 
The Scottish deerhound, in his true state, is a gigantic 
greyhound, with hair as rough and wiry as that of an Isle 
of Sky terrier. It is doubtful whether he is a distinct 
and aboriginal dog, or merely a carefully improved family 
of the ordinary, rough Scotch greyhound, which does not 
exceed the smooth English hound in size and is inferior to 
it in speed. 
Stonehenge believes it to be merely the common rough 
dog, improved and increased in size by careful breeding ; 
but I lean to the opinion that it is of an ancient original 
British breed, identical with the famous Alans of the 
early Norman kings, so celebrated in metrical romance, 
and not improbably indigenous to Cambria, as the equally 
noble and gigantic Irish wolf-dog, which was a smooth 
greyhound of vast size and dauntless courage, was indige- 
nous to old legendary Erin, although both are now unfor- 
tunately nearly extinct. 
These dogs, the Scottish deerhound I mean, not unfre- 
quently stand 36 and even 39 inches in height, and have 
been known to measure 71 inches in girth around the 
chest. Probably 36 inches height and 57 circumfer- 
ence may be held the average size. They have great 
