The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1889-12-05
THE GREYHOUND.
A Southern California Method of Huntin e
the Jack-Rabbit of the West.

The greyhound is becoming popu-
lar dog in America. and coursing clubs
are being formed throughout the coun-
try, dogs being imported at great ex-
pense. In certain regions of California
the hare exists in myriads, and the
ranchers keep the greyhounds to run
til EN- off so it is natural that Cali
fornians should believe that they have
some of the fastest dogs in the country.
How fast can they run? A good grey
hound has been known to run four
miles in twelve minutes. Silk has
caught hare within one hundred and
fifty feet OF the start, and as for
Mouse now fat and heavy, | have
run the fastest horse | could find
against her. and she was always just
ahead, looking back as if to say, Why
don't you Gomez" The pace of the
dogs is illustrated by the fact that two
of them when running in a vineyard
came into collision; light and slender
as the animals were, one dogs neck
was broken and the other hound was
seriously injured.
Coursing is by no means new sport
Not only is it an old English custom,
but even in the ancient carvings of
Thebes we find the greyhound. Among
the ancients, chasing the hare with
thase dogs was considered a noble
sport. for the greyhound has an aris-
tocratic mien, and is the type of re-
siEement and culture among dogs.
True coursing differs materially from
the methods of the hunt described, and
often degenerates into sport carried
on simply for gain. 1t was first organ
lied as a sport by Thomas, Duke of
Norfolk, in the time Of Elizabeth, and
the old rules are to some extent fol-
lowed in England to-day. In these,
the various efforts of the dogs in turn
ing the hare count, and numbers of
dogs contest, one with another, to d
finish. In America, coursing clubs
rarely, if ever, run the dogs in narrow
Enclosures, as it is thought unsports-
manlike not to give the hare every add
vantage. Certainly, such is the spirit
of the sport in Southern California.
The hare runs as fast as the dogs,
but as he lacks their endurance he takes
them up slopes and over rough coun-
try, displaying great cunning. One
hare, which have chased number of
times, invariably ran in wide circle,
finally leading the dogs among the
rocks, and escaping in thick grove.
This little animal is indebted to me for
much exercise, and | have no doubt
he enjoyed the running. The hare be-
ing smaller and lighter can turn more
quickly, and the best dog is the one
that can most adroitly meet these quici,
changes of direction. The pack is
rushing along when the hare suddenly
turns at a right angle; poor dogs over
run and take wide turn and, before
they can recover, the hare is far away.
STILL a good dog will lose but little.
Once my dog had almost caught hare
when the cunning animal darted to a
tree and began to run around it in a
circle, while | stopped and looked on.
Mouse could not make the turns SO
quickly, and apparently soon became
dizzy for, as the hare ran of, she came
| to me very much embarrassed at nv
laughter. Another time | saw Jack
turn suddenly, dodge MouSe's snap at
him, and dart between her legs and
away.
The greyhound, running by sight
alone, shows remarkable sagacity in
following the game, leaping into the
air, as we have seen, looking sharply
about, and using its intelligence in a
| marvellous way. When a hare is caught,
he is killed instantly and tossed into
! the air, the other dogs recognizing
| the winners rights and rarely making
an attempt to touch the game after the
death
Besides being shapely and beautiful,
| the greyhound has both courage and
affection. 1t Will run down a deer or
| wolf as quickly as hare, and is Zero
cious in its anger with a large foe. My
dogs are remarkably affectionate and
intelligent, extremely sensitive to kind
| ness or rebuke. The moment the house
| is opened in the morning, Mouse, if
| not forbidden, PUSHES upstairs, pushes
open my door, and grcets me as if we
had been separated for months. Then
she will dart into my dressing-room
| and reappear with shoe, or a leggin,
if she can find it, and present it to
me, wagging her tail and saying plain
| ly, Come, it's time to be up; fine day
| for a runi'
The death of the hare is not consid-
| cred an important feature, the pleasure
| being derived from watching the move
ments of the dogs. their magnificent
bursts of speed, the turns and stops,
their strategy in hundred ways. and
especially from the enjoyment of riding
| over the finest winter country in the
world.-C. +. Holder, IN 81. Nicholas.