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Z22 DOGS AND ALL ABOUT THEM

to settle all the horses, and yet every hound will be up. There has been a slight tendency to increase size of late years. The Belvoir dog-hound is within very little of 24 inches instead of 231, the standard of twenty years ago, and this increase has become very general. In elegance of form nothing has been lost, and there can be no other to possess beauty combined with power and the essential points for pace and endurance in the same degree as a Foxhound.

A detailed description of the Foxhound is here given :

Head-Somewhat broad, not peaked like the Bloodhound, but long from the apex to the frontal bones, eyebrows very prominent, cheeks cut clean from the eye to the nostril, ears set low and in their natural condition thin and shapely, but not large, nose large, jaw strong and level, and small dewlaps, expression fierce, and with the best often repellent. Eyes-Very bright and deeply set, full of determination, and with a very steady expression. The look of the Foxhound is very remarkable. Neck-Should be perfectly clean, no skin ruffle whatever, or neck cloth, as huntsmen call it. The length of neck is of importance; both for stooping and giving an air of majesty. Shoulders-The blades should be well into the back, and should slant, otherwise be wide and strong, to meet the arms, that should be long and powerful. Legs and Feet-The bone should be perfectly straight from the arm downward, and descend in the same degree of size to the ankles, or, as the saying is, " down to his toes." The knee should be almost flat and level ; there should be no curve until coming to the toes, which should be very strong, round, cat-shaped, and every toe clean set as it were. Foreribs and Brisket-Deep, fine ribs are very essential, and the brisket should be well below the elbows. Back and Loins-Back should be straight. A hollow back offends the eye much, and a roach back is worse. The loin wide, back ribs deep and long, a slight prominence over the croup. Quarters and Hocks-The quarters cannot be too long, full, showing a second thigh, and meeting a straight hock low down, the shank bone short, and meeting shapely feet. Coat-The coat is hard hair, but short and smooth, the texture is as stiff as bristles, but beautifully laid. Colour-Belvoir tan, which is brown and black, perfectly intermixed, with white markings of various shapes and sizes. The white should be very opaque and clear. Black and white, with tan markings on head and stifles. Badger pied-a kind of grey and white. Lemon pied, light yellow and white. Hare pied, a darker yellow and white. Stern-Long and carried gaily, but not curled ; often half white. Height-Dogs from 23} to 24 inches ; bitches from 22 to 22} inches.

CHAPTER XXI
THE HARRIER AND THE BEAGLE

THE Harrier is a distinct breed of hound used for hunting the hare-or rather it should be said the Association of Masters of Harriers are doing their utmost to perpetuate this breed ; the Harrier Stud Book bearing witness thereto : and it is to be deplored that so many Masters of Harriers ignore this fact, and are content to go solely to Foxhound kennels to start their packs of Harriers, choosing, maybe, 2o inch to 22 inch Foxhounds, and thenceforth calling them Harriers. It is, indeed, a common belief that the modern Harrier is but a smaller edition of the Foxhound, employed for hunting the hare instead of the fox, and it is almost useless to reiterate that it is a distinct breed of hound that can boast of possibly greater antiquity than any other, or to insist upon the fact that Xenophon himself kept a pack of Harriers over two thousands years ago. Nevertheless, in general appearance the Harrier and the Foxhound are very much alike, the one obvious distinction being that of size.

Opinions differ as to what standard of height it is advisable to aim at. If you want to hunt your Harriers on foot, i6 inches is quite big enough-almost too big to run with ; but if you are riding to them, 2o inches is a useful height, or even ig inches. Either is a good workable size, and such hounds should be able to slip along fast enough for most people. Choose your hounds with plenty of bone, but not too clumsy or heavy ; a round, firm neck, not too short, with a swan-like curve ; a lean head with a long muzzle and fairly short ears ; a broad chest with plenty of lung room, fore-legs like gun

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