| The Highland Greyhound
The Highland Greyhound, or Deer-hound
is a larger, stronger, and fiercer dog, and may be readily distinguished
from the Lowland Scotch greyhound by its pendulous, and, generally,
darker ears, and by the length of hair which almost covers his face.
Many accounts have been given of the perfection of its scent, and it is
said to have followed a wounded deer during two successive days. He is
usually two inches taller than the Scotch greyhound. The head is carried
particularly high, and gives to the animal a noble appearance. His limbs
are exceedingly muscular, his back beautifully arched. The tail is long
and curved, but assumes the form of an almost straight line when he is
much excited. The only fault which these dogs have is their occasional
ill-temper, or even ferocity; but this does not extend to the owner and
his family.
It appears singular that the English greyhound exhibits so little power
of scent; but this is simply because he has never been taught to use it,
or has been cruelly corrected when he has attempted to exercise it.
Holinshed relates the mischief that followed the stealing of one of
these dogs:
"Divers of the young Pictesh nobilitye repaired unto
Craithlint, King of the Scots, for to hunt and make merie with him; but,
when they should depart homewards, perceiving that the Scotish dogs did
far excel theirs, both in fairnesse, swiftnesse, and hardinesse, and
also in long standing up and holding out, they got diverse both dogs and
bitches of the best kind for breed, to be given them by the Scotish
Lords: and yet not so contented, they stole one belonging to the King
from his keeper, being more esteemed of him than all the others which he
had about him. The maister of the leash, being informed hereof pursued
after them that had stolen the dog, thinking, indeed, to have taken him
from them: but they not being to part with him fell at altercation, and
at the end chanced to strike the maister of the leash through with their
horse spears, so that he did die presently. Whereupon noise and crie
being raised in the country by his servantes, divers of the Scots, as
they were going home from hunting, returned, and falling upon the Picts
to revenge the death of their fellow, there ensued a shrewed bickering
betwixt them; so that of the Scots there died three score gentlemen,
besides a great number of the commons, not one of them understanding
what the matter meant. Of the Picts there were about 100 slaine."
Mr. H.D. Richardson describes a cross between the greyhound and British
bloodhound:
"It is a tall muscular raw-boned dog, the ears far larger,
and more pendulous, than those of the greyhound or deer-hound. The
colour is generally black, or black and tan; his muzzle and the tips of the ears
usually dark. He is exceedingly swift and fierce; can pull down a stag
single-handed; runs chiefly by sight, but will also occasionally take up the
scent. In point of scent, however, he is inferior to the true deer-hound. This
dog cannot take a turn readily, but often fails at the double."
Back to: Greyhound Dog
Back to: Dog Types
|
