THE BLOODHOUND. 1 25 



but there are some of its sinister-looking mongrel progeny 

 still to be seen. They always bear the reputation of being 

 poachers' dogs, and are deeply attached to their owners. 

 They have a fine scent; and a man confessed to Mr. Bewick, 

 that he could, with a pair of lurchers, procure as many 

 rabbits as he pleased. They never give tongue, but set 

 about their work silently and cautiously, and hunt hares 

 and partridges, driving the latter into the nets of the unlaw- 

 ful sportsmen." He is a dog to whom a bad name has 

 been given, and who has found a bad name but one step 

 from hanging. 



The Blood- The Bloodhound {Cant's Sanguinarius) whether 

 hound, because less needed now than formally or not, 

 is less cultivated and is therefore more rare. Mr. Bell's 

 description of the breed is as follows : — " They stand twenty- 

 eight inches high at the shoulder; the muzzle broad and 

 full; the upper lip large and pendulous; the vertex of the 

 head protuberant; the expression stern, thoughtful, and noble; 

 the breast broad; the limbs strong and muscular; and the 

 original colour a deep tan, with large black clouds. They 

 are silent when following their scent; and in this respect 

 differ from other hoxmds, who are generally gifted with fine 

 deep voices. Numbers, under the name of sleuth-hounds, 

 used to be kept on the Borders; and kings and troopers, 

 perhaps equally marauders, have in olden times found it 

 difficult to evade them. The noble Bruce had several nar- 

 row escapes from them; and the only sure way to destroy 

 their scent was to spill blood upon the track. In all the 

 common routine of life they are good-natured and intelli- 

 gent, and make excellent watch-dogs. A story is related of 

 a nobleman, who, to make a trial whether a young hound 

 was well instructed, desired one of his servants to walk to 

 a town four miles off, and then to a market town three 

 miles from thence. The dog, without seeing the man he 

 was to pursue, followed him by the scent to the above- 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



