Aug. 37, 1885.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



91 



a powerful dog of strong red color, deficient in coat, notably 

 on head, and loses much iu appearance thereby. Taken oil 

 the whole, however, he gives a very fair idea of the bre«d as 

 to fonn and bulk; but instead of standing only 2'.}}4 inches, as 

 herloes, lie should be at least ?)S inches, and be enlarged iu 

 proportion. The blood can be ti-aeed back for forty yeai-s. 

 His dimensions are! Height, 29};2 inches; gu-th of chest, S'Sl^ 

 inches; length of head, 12 raches"; gii-th of head, IS^i inches; 

 forearm, S}4 inches; weight, llOpoimds, which will serve to 

 show what the general conformation of the dog is. 



The writer has also a very grand bitch, sister to Brian, of 

 most excellent fcrm and great power. She is gray brindle in 

 color, very deep in chest and Rig iu bone, standing 2S}.{ inches, 

 gu-thing S4 inches, and weighing 110 pounds. Her 'speed is 

 marvelous, and activity extraordinary. 



A veiy sensible letter was not very long ago pubhshed in the 

 Live Stock Journal by a German gentleman, from which the 

 following extracts will prove of interest: "That the Ii-ish 

 wolfhoimd is a pure Sviudhund' [greyhouiid] 1 believe as little 

 as that it is a pure Dane. As opposed to the wolf the largest 

 'windhimd'is not strong enough, and the Dane, on accoimt 

 of its short fine hair, is too vulnerable. I think the Msh wolf- 

 hound is the Scotch deerhouud, Avith some blood from our 

 modern large German dogge [hoarhouud?] to give him the 

 necessary .strength. 



"According to old paintings, rough coats (for the boar dogs) 

 were preferred, because they were less liable to injury than 

 the smooth." 



The writer has just had painted, under his close superin- 

 tendence and guidance, a portrait of an Irish wolfhound of 3.5 

 inches, Ufe size, of a gray color, and it presents to the vision a 

 most stiiking and remarkable animal of a very majestic and 

 beautiful appearance, far, far beyond any dog the writer has 

 ever seen in grandeur of looks. 



I shall conclude with an authentic statement of how the 

 last wolves existing in the county of Tyrone were destroyed 

 by means of the Irish greyhound. This account is taken fi-om 

 the biography of a Tyrone family published in Belfa.st in 1829: 



"In the moimtainous parts of the county Tyrone the inhab- 

 itants suffered much from the wolves, aud'^gave from the pub- 

 lic fund as much for the head of one of these animals as they 

 would give for the capture of a notorious robber On the high- 

 wa-y . There Uved in those days an adventurer who, alone 

 and imassisted, made it his occupation to destroy these l av- 

 agers. The time for attacking them was in the" night, and 

 midnight was the best time for doing so, as that was theu- 

 wonted time for leaving their lair in search of food, when the 

 coimtry was at rest and all was still ; then, issuing forth, they 

 fell on their defenseless prey, and the carnage commenced. 

 There was a species f f dog for the purpose of himtiug them, 

 caUed the wolfdog. This animal represented a rough, stout, 

 half-bred greyhound, but was much stronger. 



"In the coimty Tyrone there was then a large space of 

 ground inclosed by a high stone wall, having a gap at each of 

 the two opposite extremities, and in this were secm-ed the 

 iiocks of the surrounding farmers. Still, secure though this 

 fold was deemed, it was entered by the wolves and its inmates 

 slaughtered. The neighboring proprietors having heard of 

 the noted wolf hunter above mentioned, by name Rory Car- 

 ragh, sent for Mm, and offered the usual reward, with some 

 addition, if he would undertake to destroy the two remaining 

 wolves that had committed such devastation. 



"Can-agh undertaking the task, took with him two wolf- 

 dogs and a little boy only twelve years old, the only pei-son 

 who would accompany him, and repaired at the approach of 

 midnight to the fold in question. 'Now,' said Carragh to the 

 boy, 'as the two wolves usually enter the opposite exta-emities 

 of the sheeiifold at the same time, I must leave you and one 

 of the dogs to guai-d this one while I go to the other. He 

 steals with all the caution of a cat, nor will you hear him, 

 but the dog will, and positively will give him the first fall ; 

 if, therefore, you are not active when he is down to rivet his 

 neck to the ground with this spear, he will i-ise up and kill 

 both you and the dog; so good night.' 'I'll do what I can,' 

 said the little boy as he took the spear from the wolf-himter's 

 hand. 



"The boy immediately threw open the gate of the fold and 

 took his seat hi the inner part, close to the entrance, his faith- 

 fid companion crouching at his side, and seemingly perfectly 

 aware of the dangerous business he was engaged in. The 

 night was veiy dark and cold, and the poor httle boy, being 

 benumbed by the chilly an, was beginning to f aU into a kind 

 of sleep, when at that instant the dog, with a roar, leaped 

 across him and laid his mortal enemy upon the eart.h. The 

 boy was roused into double activity by the voice of his com- 

 panion, and drove the spear through the wolf's neck as he had 

 been directed, at which time Carragh appeared bearing the 

 head of the other." 



In concludmg this article, the writer would express his 

 astonishment that so noble and pre-eminently attractive a 

 breed of dog should have found so few supporters. Of all dogs 

 the monarch and most majestic— shall he be allowed to drop 

 from our supine grasp? 



Ii-ishmen I— Englishmen !— aU ye who love the canine race- 

 let it not be so. 



Since this article was written— in the Live Stock Journal of 

 30th August, 1880, "A Practical Farmer," writing on .some 

 other subject, thus concludes his letter: "Now I am on the 

 subject canine, I wiU relate an incident that occun-ed to me 

 m 1840, or within a year of that date. Staying with some 

 friends m a southern county, I was taken to see an old Irish 

 wolfhound belonging to a gentleman of means, he was then 

 said to be the last of his breed in England; was old, perfectly 

 white and much after the style of a Scotch deerhouud, but 

 larger and considerably more powerfully built, and he had 

 the deepest toned and most melancholy bark I ever heard." 

 Let readers note how exactly this description coincides with 

 that put foi-ward by me ! 



In the same number of the Live Stock Journal there is men- 

 tion of a paper contributed to the "Zoologist" by Erne.st Frie- 

 del, entitled "A German View of the Fauna of Ireland." Some 

 extracts are given regarding the Iri.sh deerhomid {sic), but they 

 are of small interest and mostly contained in this article; allu- 

 sion is made to Lord Altamont's dogs, and a foot note is ap- 

 pended by the editor of "Zoologist" to this effect, "It is now 

 generally admitted that the dog described bv Lambert here 

 referred to was not an Irish wolfhound at all, but a Great 

 Dane!" 



We are told in the SiJortsman's Cabinet, pubhshed in 1803, 

 p. 26, that Buffou asserts that from the common greyhound 

 and the Irish greyhound the mongrel greyhound was pro- 

 duced, also called the greyhound with the wolf's hair, show- 

 ing very plainly that the Irish dog was, in his opinion, a rough 

 dog, as the ordinary greyhovmd of that period was in all prob- 

 abdity a smooth dog. 



In the World newspaper, late in 1880, it was asserted that 

 Mr. Paniell, M. P., has in his house some banners, carried by 

 the regiment of militia commanded by one of his immediate 

 ancestoi-s that was "out" in 1798, on which is depicted the 

 Irish wolfhound. The writer took the trouble to make hi- 

 quiries from Mr. Pamell personally, and found that the fact 

 was true, and that the dog depicted was similar to a Scotch 

 deerhouud, but much lai-ger and more massive (apparently), 

 and very rough. 



Mr. iibnayne Conron, of Lewisham, saw a brace of Irish 

 wolfhounds about 1847, fierce looking, piercing eyes, shaggy 

 brows and rough dark gray coats, yet so kind a child could 

 play with them. He opines they were of either the Ealfane or 

 BaUytobm breed. Ba relay tells us that in 1.563, at a deer drive 

 given by the Earl of Athol for the amusement of Queen Mary 

 360 deer and 5 wolves were slain in one day 



In the month of June, 1882, was erected at Ennis, a statue 

 to the memory of AUaUj Larkin, and O'Brien, who were ex- 



ecuted at Manchester, 1867. This beautiful statue was ex- 

 ecuted by Messrs. O'Niell, of Dublin. It represents Erin with 

 one hand resting on the Irish harp, while the other gi-asps the 

 Celtic cross, wlolle ci'ouching at fier feet is the Irish wolfdog. 

 Unfortunately the figure of tne dog— owing to the scidptor's 

 roquireraents— has been very much reduced in size, and the 

 extreme grandeur and nobihty of the animal thereby lost. 

 The dog, now- in the Zoological Gardens at DubUn, was 

 taken as a guide (Unknown to the breeder) for the animal 

 i-epresented, thereby proving that the sculptor and the writer 

 of this article (who bred the dog in question) are agreed as to 

 the type of Ireland's ancient hound. It is stated that at one 

 time the Eiighsli government offered an equal reward for the 

 head uf an Irish Catholic priest and a Wolfdog, 



1881— Tlie followkig description of a descendant (immediate) 

 of Hamilton Rowan's Irish bloodhounds — not of his Iriah 

 wolfdog, for he owned one of the latter as well as some of the 

 former — has been given to the writer by a gentleman to whom 

 the dog, as a puppy, was given by H. Rowan ; 



"Nero. Color, gray, almost mouse color; head, of decidedly 

 bloodhound type, long, rather narrow, peaked; deep flews, 

 large hound ears, eyes small ; coat siiuUar to a mastiff's or 

 smooth St. Bernard; double dew claws on hind legs. To a 

 side vfew rather a long low dog, than square built; gentle 

 temper on the whole, and affectionate, but never forgot an 

 enemy, and ever afterward began to bark when he came to 

 the door— before he knocked ! DeUghted in water, and would 

 fetch and carry anything." 



There seems' no doubt whatever that the dogs were crossed 

 bloodhound and Great Dane, and have not the faintest resem- 

 blance to the Irish wolfdog. 



On Nov. 30, 1883, a Doctor Mac'Cormack, of Belfast, wrote 

 as follows to the author of this essay: 



'"WTien I was a child we had one of those magnificent 

 creatures (the Irish woh'hound) and I have been told that 

 Doctor Weir, of Dromore, County Dowm, had two. and 

 possibly has them .still (?) in all probability of Mr. Mahoney's 

 breed. Very early in life I remember going to Lough LaU (?), 

 County Ai'magh, near which was the seat of the Cope family. 

 They had a Wolfdog, and the bay of the animal impressed me 

 almost as much as the lion's roar. Archibald Hamilton Rowan, 

 an Irish patriot and a most magnificent man, used to go about 

 attended by a wolfdog. He has, however, long gone to the 

 majority and his dog along with him. 



"The old Irish could not have lived without the wolfhound; 

 he was their protector and friend." 



On Aug. 31, 1884, an impression was sent to the writer of an 

 old seal, by a gentleman I'esiding in Clomnel. It was the 

 property of an old gentleman to whom it had been given, 

 when young, by another old gentleman, a friend, in whose 

 family it had been for generations. It is believed no traditions 

 attach to the seal, and the breed of dog depicted w^as not 

 Itnown to the owner of the seid, but there' is little, in fact, no 

 doubt in the mind of the writer that the animal shown is the 

 old li-ish wolfhound ! In every respect, including the rough 

 coat, it corresponds with the writer's fii-m conviction of what 

 the dog was— save and except the tail which hangs too much 

 and is too bushy. 



It is opined from the spelling and style of the motto— 

 "Gentle when strok'd," "Fierce when provoked"— that the 

 seal Was eugivaved about the commencement of the ISth cen- 

 tury, at which period wolves were existing in "England" as 

 well as in Ii-eland? as was certainly the case to a much later 

 date. 



In corroboration of the writer's assumption that the dog 

 represented was an Iiish wolfhound, the reader is referred to 

 page 15, where it will be seen that the motto corresponds 

 exactly with that placed under the "arms" of the ancient 

 monarchs of Ireland, which had Irish wolfhounds as sup- 

 porters. 



In "Fores' " window (the gi-eat piint seller of Picaddly) was 

 exhibited in June, 1883, an oil painting by James WardJ R. A., 

 of a wolfhound, evidently done from the life. It represented 

 a very powerful dog, red in color, hard, rough coat, ears cut 

 oft at the ends. It was probably painted at the early part of 

 the present century. The form was that of a very strong deer- 

 hound, but considerably thicker. 



The picture is signed, but not dated— it was formerly the 

 property of Sir E. Landseer, at the sale of whose drawings 

 Messrs. Fores purchased it— the drawing probablv would be 

 about the beginning of this century, as Ward was''boni 1770. 



About 18(j0 a fine dog of this breed was owned by a gentle- 

 man living in Wales. He has been described by the owner's 

 son to the writer as follows: About 31 inches high, very pow- 

 erful, far beyond any deerhouud ; head much more massive, 

 pale fawn color, muzzle somewhat black, strong rough coat, 

 head well covered, ears somewhat lai-ger and more pendidous 

 than a deerhound's, probable weight about 120 pounds, was 

 supposed to ha ve been of the sti-ain of the Lords O'Neill, which, 

 however, is open to doubt. 



The Modem Geographer, pubhshed by Thomas Meyers in 

 1882, has this passage in it; "The Irish greyhound is much 

 celebrated for its size and vigor, and is the most majestic as 

 well as the most beautiful of the canine species. It, how- 

 ever, is very rare at the present day. A species of woldog 

 has also been deemed pecidiar to the country. In size it ex- 

 ceeds the mastiff, but its shape has more resemblance to that 

 of the greyhound." 



Mr. Watson, of BaUydarton, Bagnalstown, in Ii'eland, a 

 weD-known master of liounds, has "informed the writer that 

 hounds for the pursuit of the wolf were kept there in the time 

 of his grandfather, and that the last wolf was killed at My- 

 shall, close to BaUydarton, 1786 or 1787. The hounds were de- 

 scribed as coarse powerful animals, iimning by scent. About 

 the year 1848, an Irish wolfdog was purchased from a gentle- 

 man named Carter, who lived at Laughinstowu, near Bray, 

 in Ireland, by Mr. W. Leigh Clare. He was stated to have 

 stood over 32 inches, like a deerhoimd, but stouter and more 

 powerfid, very ui>-standing, blue-gray brindle in color. After- 

 ward a bitcn was also procured, fight fawn color, stoutly 

 built, but not so rough in hair as the dog. She died while 

 pupping and the dog soon after came to grief. Mr. Clare saw 

 many woKhounds in this gentleman's kennels; also he kept 

 Irish terriers, and was celebrated for both breeds. Mr. Clare 

 states his dog was a grand specimen. 



During the visit of a lady named O'Brien to America, in the 

 autumn of 1882, she had pointed out to her in the museum at 

 Minneapohs, Minnesota, a stuffed specimen labeled as an Irish 

 wolfhound. It was rough, pure white in color and of good 

 size. 



The fact that .the Irish wolfdog was a rough dog (which 

 some people seem to doubt), has been handed down fi'om gen- 

 eration to generation in Ireland, and all breeders have invar- 

 iably and firmly adhered to this characteristic. 



Quite lately a club has been formed for the purpose of re- 

 covering fully this grand i-ace of dogs. There is every reason 

 to hope that success wiU attend their eftorts if steadily and 

 carefully persevered in. A great deal of interest has been ex- 

 cited, both in England and L-eland, of late regarding the breed, 

 and if good specimens are forthcoming within the next few 

 years, no doubt it will agata take its place as "king of dogs." 

 ihe wi-iter of this essay is at present acting as Hon. Sec. of 

 the club and wiU be most pleased to render any assistance or 

 information to intending breeders of Irish wolfhounds. 



IDA LEWIS AND HER DOG. -Ida Lewis, the Newport 

 hai-bor heroine, has had for a dozen yeai^s a faithful compan- 

 ion on her httle rocky island, a big black Newfoundland dog, 

 which recently died,- causing her great grief. "I remember 

 weh, long ago," says one of her acquaintances, "her putting 

 her arms around the big aftectionate fellow and saying, 'Men 

 have not been good to me, and I love dogs better.' Her mat- 

 nrnonial adventure was most disastrous, and this dog was her 

 only protector." ' ^ 



DEATH OP TAM 0' SHANTER. -This well-known La ver- 

 ack setter died on Aug. 1 at the age of nine years and three- 

 months. He was bred by Mr. Daintry HoUins, and was got 

 by champion Rock out of" Rum. Mr. Ci. Lowe bought him as. 

 a whelp, and he has always remained in the same ownership^ 

 although -very large sums have been offered for him. Man^ 

 good judges who have seen him atdifl;erent times are of opin-- 

 icm that iu certain points Tarn o' Shanter was the best-looking 

 setter ever bred. His head and the set on of ears were' 

 simply perfection, and faultless again were his back, loins and' 

 bent stifles. He was not straight in front, and for tbh roasoir 

 his owner never showed htm, although he has been blalned' 

 for not doing so, his idea being that so good a dog should Jvave" 

 no chance to be beaten by a worse opponent than him^ltV 

 through one verj' palpable fault, which was really caused bf 

 accidental circumstances. Tarn o' Shanter was a natura? 

 worker, and never happier than when ranging a field 

 in his own methodical way, his nose being extraordinary, 

 though he was slow, and his education never completed 

 by a breaker. As a stud dog no setter has smpassed him. his 

 stock having a world-wide reputation for their field merits 

 and beauty, not only hi this country but iu America, Ger- 

 many, Fi-ance, and even in Australia and South Africa. Sir 

 Abater, Wild Ro.se, Tycoon, Robbie Bums, Tarn the Chapman, 

 Dirk Hatteraick, Discord, and Tarn of Braunfels may be about 

 the best kuown winners by him, but a column of a newspaper 

 might be filled with the names of good ones by him, and his 

 descendants now in a second and third generation are almost 

 legion. Like the Laveraolis generally. Tarn o' Shanter was a 

 dog of fine character, full of intelligence, and his affectionate 

 natm-e endeared him to his owner and home in a way to stall 

 oil any sort of price for him, a very fair figure being tendered 

 only a few weeks ago by one who was well aware that the old 

 dog was very decrepit, merely, as he put it, for the honor of 

 owning Tarn o' Shanter. It had been long decreed, however, 

 that old Tam shoidd Uve out his life among his friends, and 

 have his grave in his owner's garden.— X^ennei Gazette. 



AN EXCITING COON HUNT.-The first coon hunt of the sea- 

 son, which proved to be a very exciting one, took place near 

 The Highland, Thursday evening. The party started from the 

 hotel about 9 o'clock, accompanied by Frank Stevenson, Mr. 

 English, F. De Peyster and several olihers. W. E. Wilcox led 

 the way to the comfleld. The dogs were let loose, and in 

 about thirty minutes his coonship was treed. One of the party 

 ascended tlie tree; a circle was formed, and orders were given 

 to shake. The corn stealer soon fell among the dogs, when 

 an exciting struggle commenced, the coon, dogs, and some 

 twenty men all rolling down the ledge together. At this 

 point in the melee an amiLsing incident occmred which added 

 much to the merriment of the occasion. A youth who ac- 

 companied the party, and who is noted for his precocity, and 

 who evidently had not hunted coons before, attempted to 

 show those dogs how to kiU a coon, but was reminded by the 

 dogs and coon that they wished for no interference in their 

 little family quarrels, and so gave the young man a severe bite 

 in the leg, and also badly lacerated his hand as weU as his 

 feehngs. The coon, which proved to be one of the fu'st settlers, 

 when hung upon the scales brought them down at nearly 

 twenty pounds. The hunters started for home about 11 

 o'clock, feeling that they had fun enough for one night. — 

 E. 



SHOW DISTEMPER.— Gen. Wayne, Ta.— Editor Forest 

 and Stream: In the last issue of t'ae Anifirican Kennel Register 

 Dr. J. R. Housel, in his communication relative to the death 

 of two of his dogs from distemper contracted at the recent 

 Philadelphia show, lays blame to the veterinaiian for allowing 

 Glench Elcho (improperly registered at Philadelphia show as 

 Glen Elcho) to remain, after his owner had requested per- 

 mission to remove him. If you will permit I would like to re- 

 ply to this through your columns (as well as the A. K. B.) so 

 that the coming Philadelphia show may not suffer from ex- 

 hibitors being scared away by this communication. I wish to 

 say, as the owner of the dog, that he had no signs of any sick- 

 ness whatever during the 'show nor has he had any since, 

 neither did 1 remove him from the show or have any desire to 

 do so. He had distemper during the fall of 1884, and was 

 perfectly weU and traveling around in all kinds of weather by 

 Jan. 1, 1885.— J. M. Pronepield, Jr. 



GREAT DANE CLASSES.— Pittsburgh, Pa., Aug. 19.— 

 Editor Forest and Stream: Will you please mention the fact 

 in your Kennel department that there are many owners and 

 breeders of the Great Dane who are barred fi-om exhibiting in 

 the American dog shows because this valuable breed is rele- 

 gated to the misceUaneous class, and takes it chances with the 

 "rag tag and bobtaU" of the bench. The Great Dane, al- 

 though only lately introduced into this countrj^, has taken 

 firm hold among the many who can appreciate a powerful and 

 noble animal. As he is now the chief fancy among the Eng- 

 lish and the coming dog in America, I beg that you -will note 

 the fact that we have in New York, Philadelphia and Pitts- 

 burgh many excellent specimens of the dog. In the Pitts- 

 burgh bench show of next month lei; us have a Great Dane 

 class, and I venture to say it will be well flhed.- E. P. H. 



THE MIRO CASE.— Philadelphia, Pa., Aug. 21.— Editor 

 Forest and Stream: I have received notice that the appeal of 

 J. A. Nickersou from the decision of the Philadelphia Kennel 

 Club in reference to Miro has been referred by Major Taylor 

 to the Committee on Discipline, which is composed of Messrs. 

 Morgan, Pope, Shattuc, myself and Mr. Munhall, who is now 

 ineligible, as the club which he represents has not paid the 

 assessment made at Boston. I have ah-eady, in the executive 

 committee of our club, passed upon this case, and as the issue 

 is between Mr. N. and our club, in justice to Mr. N. we should 

 not be allowed a voice in the decision on his appeal. For this 

 reason I am deshous that I be excused from acting. I would 

 also suggest that Mr. Pope, who is a member of the same club 

 as Mr. N., withdraw, leaving the matter with Messrs. Morgan 

 and Shattuc for decision.— Wm. H. Child. 



PHILADELPHIA PALL DOG SHOW.— The entries of fox- 

 hound packs at this show will be large, and a big effort is be- 

 ing made to have aU the hunt clubs represented. Already 

 many inquhies are being made at the club rooms by fanciers, 

 and a large turnout of local dogs is expected. The jtidges' slate 

 IS not yet completed, but soon will be, and premium hst will 

 be maued in a few days.— Hoiio. 



JUDGES AT PITTSBURGH.— Pittsburgh, Pa., Aug. 21.— 

 Editor Forest and Stream : Messrs. Chas. H. Mason and James 

 W^atson have been appointed judges of all non-sporting classes 

 at our coming dog show. These gentlemen will divide the 

 classes between them as they think best. Judges of sporting 

 classes will be announced later.— C. B. Elben, Secretary. 



DOG LOST. -A black setter dog with white stripes down 

 his breast, and forefeet tipped with white, was lost July 11. 

 He is ten months old, of medium size, with long, narrow head. 

 A resonable reward will be paid for liis return. Addi-ess Mac- 

 Namara Bros., 145 Canal street, Providenee, R, I. 



WESTERN FIELD TRIALS.-Kansas City. Mo., Aug. 25. 

 —Editor Forest and Stream : Col. W. B. Hughes, Dallas. Tex. • 

 D. C. Bergundthal, Indianapohs, and E. C. Sterhng. St. Louis, 

 have been selected to judge at the Western trials tbigfall.— 

 A. A. Whipple, Secretary. 



