76 COURSING 



he gets few chances, and hardly ever a first-class mare. We 

 feel certain there are at the present moment not a few grandly 

 bred horses covering half-bred mares at five guineas that, if 

 they had a fair chance, would produce as good an average of 

 winners as those that stand at 50 and 100 guineas. In the 

 preceding chapter we mentioned a greyhound that would come 

 under this categoryj viz. Edwin Greentick. We have not the 

 remotest interest in him, but from his breeding and all we have 

 heard of his individual merit (in appearance), we do not doubt 

 his proving a successful sire if provided with a sufficient number 

 of suitable dames. 



Having procured our brood-bitches, and premeditated a 

 line of breeding that we must closely adhere to, we must try 

 to get our puppies introduced to the world at a suitable season. 

 Unfortunately the exigencies of nature forbid us producing 

 whelps whenever we want them, but at any rate we can 

 determine when ?iot to have them. Those who breed for public 

 auction count themselves fortunate when they have a goodly 

 proportion of January litters. A sapling is a greyhound 

 whelped on or after January i of the same year in which 

 the season of running began, and no greyhound is to be 

 considered a puppy which was whelped prior to January i of 

 the year preceding the commencement of the season of running. 

 So that obviously a litter born from August to December is 

 practically worthless for coursing purposes; but a January 

 puppy when brought in front of the rostrum has a pull over 

 those born in the spring or early summer. Those, however, who 

 breed to run may well consider the advisability of getting their 

 litters in March and April. We do not mean to say that a 

 bitch coming in season in the first part of November should 

 be ' passed,' for early puppies come in handy for early produce 

 stakes, and meet their younger opponents at a distinct advantage. 

 But it will be found easier to rear, say, a March litter than one 

 born in January ; for just as they are fit to be reared the spring 

 will be well advanced, and the months of May and June, so 

 admirably adapted for the development of all young things. 



