THE BLOODHOUND. 125

but there are some of its sinister-looking mongrel progeny
still to be seen. They always bear the reputation of being
poachers’ dogs, and are deeply attached to their owners. |
They have a fine scent; and a man confessed to Mr. Bewick,
that he could, with a pair of lurchers, procure as many
rabbits as he pleased. They never give tongue, but set
about their work silently and cautiously, and hunt hares
and partridges, driving the latter into the nets of the unlaw-
ful sportsmen.” He is a dog to whom a bad name has
been given, and who has found a bad name but one step
from hanging.
The Blood- The Bloodhound (Cents Sanguinarius) whether
hound. because less needed now than formally or not,
is less cultivated and is therefore more rare. Mr. Bell’s
description of the breed is as follows:—“ They stand twenty-
eight inches high at the shoulder; the muzzle broad and
full; the upper lip large and pendulous; the vertex of the
head protuberant; the expression stern, thoughtful, and noble;
the breast broad; the limbs strong and muscular; and the
original colour a deep tan, with large black clouds. They
are silent when following their scent; and in this respect
differ from other hounds, who are generally gifted with fine
deep voices. Numbers, under the name of sleuth-hounds,
used to be kept on the Borders; and kings and troopers,
perhaps equally marauders, have in olden times found it
difficult to evade them. The noble Bruce had several nar-
row escapes from them; and the only sure way to destroy
their scent was to spill blood upon the track. In all the
common routine of life they are good-natured and intelli-
gent, and make excellent watch-dogs. A story is related of
a nobleman, who, to make a trial whether a young hound
was well instructed, desired one of his servants to walk to
a town four miles off, and then to a market town three
miles from thence. The dog, without seeing the man he
was to pursue, followed him by the scent to the above-