The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-01-15
THE GREYHOUND.
A Southern California Method of Huntin e
the .Jack-Rabbit of the West.

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
tn 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 runP 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 l could find
against her, and she was always just
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
these dogs was considered a noble
| sport, for the greyhound has an aris-
tocratic mien, and is the type of re-
| finement and culture among dogs.
True coursing differs materially from
| the methods of the hunt described, and
often degenerates into a sport carried
| on simply for gain. 1t was first organ
lied as 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 a
! 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 adj
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 l have chased number of
times, invariably ran in a wide circle,
finally leading the dogs among the
rocks, and escaping in a thick grove.
| This little animal is indebted to me for
much exercise, and 1 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 quick
changes of direction. The pack is
rushing along when the hare suddenly
turns at right angle; poor dogs over
run and take wide turn and, before
| they can recover, the hare is far away.
Still, good dog will lose but little.
Once my dog had almost caught hare,
when the cunning animal darted to
/ tree and began to run around 1t IN a
circle, while l stopped and looked on.
Mouse could not make the turns SO
quickly, and apparently soon became
dizzy, for, as the hare ran off, she came
to me very much embarrassed at my
laughter. Another time saw a 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 III
following the game, leaping into the
air, as we have seen, looking sharply
about, and using its intelligence in q
marvellous way. When 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 deer OIL
wolf as quickly as hare, and is fero
cious in its anger with large foe. My
dogs are remarkably affectionate and
intelligent, extremely sensitive to kind
ness or rebuke. The moment the hous,
is opened in the morning, Mouse, i
not forbidden, rushes upstairs, pushes
open my door, and greets me as if we
had been separated for months. Then
she will dart into my dressing-room
and reappear with a 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; a fine day
for runr'
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, ano
especially from the enjoyment of riding
over the finest winter country in the
world.-C. T. Holder, IN st. Nicholas.