154 
THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY, 
exact in the points they recommend as necessary to form 
a complete Greyhound. 
“ Head like a snake, 
Neck’d like a drake, 
Back’d like a beam. 
Sided like a bream, 
Tailed like a rat, 
And footed like a cat.” 
In choosing a whelp, the choice was formerly governed 
by the weight, and that which was the lightest, it was 
supposed, would prove the nimblest and best. The raw- 
boned, lean, loose-made, and unseemly whelps, grew up 
well-shaped dogs; whereas, those that after three or four 
months appeared round, close trussed, and well built in 
every part, were not worth the rearing, seldom proving 
swift or comely. It was also an observation formerly, 
that bitches were commonly more speedy than the dogs. 
The time to first try and train them to their game was 
at twelve months old, and there is little variation in this 
respect at the present day. 
At two years old, the Greyhound is full-grown, and the 
choice of one at that age was to be directed by his having 
a fine skin, with soft thin hair, a long lean head, with a 
nose sharp from the eye downwards; a full clear eye, with 
large eye-lids, little ears, a long neck bending like a drake, 
with a loose hanging weasand, broad breast, his body 
neither too long, nor too great, aback straight and square, 
having a rising in the middle, a small belly, broad shoul- 
ders, round ribs, with a long space between his hips, a 
strong stern, a round foot with large clefts, and his fore- 
legs straighten than his hinder. 
The breeding of the Greyhound was recommended to 
be from the well-tried and best bitches, as an indifferent 
dog was supposed from such a cross to get better whelps 
than if the excellence was inverted, and the bitch but tole- 
rable; the surest way to have the whelps excellent was to 
have both sire and dam good, and not to exceed four 
years old; if any inequality in their age, it was deemed 
better to be on the bitch’s side, so that the dog was 
young. 
The art of keeping a Greyhound formerly, as well as 
entering him properly at his game, is thus described: — 
The keeping of a Greyhound properly did not consist 
solely in the meat given him, but also in kenneling, air- 
ing and exercise. When he was full in flesh, he was to 
have the drippings of bread in fresh broth. Milk and 
bread, butter-milk and soft bones, morning and evening, 
which was understood to keep him healthy. When he 
was low in condition or unwell, sheep’s heads or feet with 
the wool on, chopped into small pieces and made into 
broth, with oatmeal and sweet herbs, was to be his daily 
food until he recovered his flesh and health. 
The kennel was to be commodious, airy, the door to- 
wards the south, and the sleeping benches two feet and 
a half high, perforated with holes for the purpose of carry- 
ing ofl the urine: (a dog of any kind, will rarely eject 
either his urine or excrements on his bed; on the contrary, 
if closely confined, he will frequently howl for hours, and 
even days, sooner than be guilty of what appears repug- 
nant to his nature:) the straw on the bench was to be fre- 
quently changed, and the kennel kept extremely clean. 
For Greyhounds that were going to run, the following 
diet was recommended: — a peck of wheat, half a peck of 
oatmeal, ground and forced through a sieve; aniseeds 
bruised and liquorice were to be scattered amongst it; and 
it was then to be kneaded up with the whites of eggs and 
new ale, into small loaves, which were to be well baked. 
This was to be soaked in beef or other broth, and given to 
them immediately after their airings, morning and even- 
ing. 
Previously to airing, the dog was to be brushed or rub- 
bed with a hair cloth; he was then to be led out in a leash 
half an hour after sun-rising, to some plain where there 
were neither cattle nor sheep, there to be suffered to frisk 
about and empty himself, when he was to be led back. In 
the evening, all this was to be repeated; and in winter, 
he was allowed once a day the indulgence of the fire. It 
was recommended to keep him always in kennel, as it 
was thought his spirit and activity were thereby in- 
creased. 
The exercise recommended for the Greyhound was 
coursing; if the courses were long, twice a week was 
deemed sufficient; otherwise, every other day, and they 
were to be rewarded and encouraged with the blood of the 
hare. When they were first entered, it was allowable to 
give them every advantage — such as finding a young hare 
and giving her no law; but this was not allowable after he 
had once got blood. 
A toast and butter, upon coursing days, was given early 
in the morning; if the dog killed the hare, he was not 
allowed to break her; the hare was taken from him, his 
mouth cleared of the fur; and he had afterwards the heart, 
liver, and lights given him. 
After a very hard run, his feet were to be washed with 
salt and water; and after remaining in the kennel for half 
an hour, he was to be fed. 
In regard to the modern feeding and training of the 
Greyhound, opinions are by no means unanimous. Some 
insist that they should go through a regular course in these 
respects, something like a race horse. It is asserted, that 
a dog which has long courses to run should never be over- 
