The Dog Family 



lOI 



DOMESTIC DOGS. 



BY C. IT. LANE. 



The Dog, almost without exception, shows a marked liking for the society of human 

 beings, and adapts itself to their ways more than any other animal. 



Fox-, Stag-, and Hare-hounds— the latter better known as Hariers and Beagles — have 

 many points in common, much beauty of shape and colour, and great suitability for their 

 work, though differing in some other, particulars. 



Another group — Greyhounds, Whip[iets, Irish Wolf-hounds, Scottish Deer-hounds, all of wliich 

 come under the category of Gaze-hounds, or those which hunt by sight— are built for great 

 speed, to enable them to cope with the fleet game they pursue. In the same group should be 

 included the Boitzoi, or Russian Wolf-hound, now very popular in this country, with something 

 of the appearance of the Scottish deer-hound about it as to shape, Ijut with a finer, longer 

 head, deeper body, more muscular limbs, and shaggier in the hair on body and tail. 



The Otter-hound is one of the most picturesque of all the hound tribe. This variety 

 somewhat reminds one of a large and leggy Dandie Dinmont terrier, with a touch of the 

 blood-hound, and is thought to have been originally produced from a cross between these or 

 similar varieties. 



The Blood-hound is another, with much style and beauty of shape, colour, and character 

 about it which cannot fail to favourably imjiress any beholder. The matches or trials which 

 have of late years been held in different localities have been most interesting in proving its 

 ability for tracking footsteps for long distances, merely following them by scent, some time 

 after the person hunted started on the trail. By the kindness of my friend JMr. E. Brough, 

 I am able to give as an illustration a portrait of what he considers the best blood-hound 

 ever bred. 



Much valued by sportsmen with the gun are Pointers, so called from their haliit of remaining 

 in a fixed position when their quarry is discovered, eagerly pointing in its direction until the 

 arrival of the guns. They are most often white, with liver, lemon, or black markings ; but 

 occasionally self colours, such as liver or black, are met with. They have been largely bred 



/ 1. II Duiibrtii] 



STAG-HOUND PITPPIES. 

 This gives an interesting group of hounds in kennel. 



