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Show 1890.] ON THE DOMESTIC DOG. 11 Group I I . - G R E Y H O U N D S. This group includes the Irish Wolf-dog, ancient and modern, the Scotch Deerhound, the Greyhound, Italian Greyhound, Naked dog, and Lurcher. The Greyhound breed is undoubtedly one of great age, since figures of this breed have been found on monuments in Egypt at least 3000 years old. Some of these at least, however, resembled the Akaba or Bedouin Greyhound, and differed from the English and other varieties in that they possessed long brush tails. The O L D I R I S H W O L F - D O G was originally, according to Smith, of the same origin as the Scotch, and " according to some opinions was not found in Ireland in its greatest development until the Danes began to infest its coasts." It may have been, however, he thinks, that there was an ancient race which " was crossed with the great Danish dog by the Northmen, and under favourable circumstances increased to the great stature since so much admired." It was the largest dog in Western Europe, whatever may have been its origin, and has now been extinct for nearly a century. Lambert' has given a description with a figure of one given to him in 1790 by Lord Altamont, who then possesssd the only eight specimens in existence. The measurements of this animal will be found at the place referred to. Their make, from the figure, must have been heavier, and this especially about the head, than the ordinary greyhound type. The hair was short and smooth, the colour of some being brown and white, of others black and white. '' They seem to be good tempered," he states, but " from the accounts I received are degenerated in size. They were formerly much larger, and in their make more like a greyhound." The measurements given in the table were kindly made for us by Professor A. C. Haddon, M.A., to whom our best thanks are due for his trouble. They are from the specimens in the Museum of Science and Art, Dublin. Unfortunately in every case the inferior maxillae were wanting. No. No Table VIII.-OW Irish Wolf-dog. No. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Av. 33 "Si a o "3 43 O 311-39 284-84 306-25 311-11 326-66 286-56 304-47 "of j3 S « 6Dfc |ft>F 163-28 168-18 166-66 176-66 153-73 165-70 O o3 33 "3 a ^ © a 140-50 133-33 148-75 158-83 153-33 137-31 143-17 Width of bony palate. a a PH h i 88-60 102-53 92-42 96-96 93-75 105-0 101-38 105-0 97-01 109-72 108-83 101-49 96-36 104-09 l T* 1 PH hi 27-84 25-75 28-75 30-55 30-83 29-05 28-93 r-H 1 al hi 14-68 13-63 15-0 19-44 16-41 15-83 t-4 al pq 26-58 25-0 22-5 25-0 26-66 22-38 24-69 oil al hi 11-39 9-09 11-25 12-5 12-5 ... 11-35 a P - 1 17-72 18-93 16-25 17-36 19-16 17-88 1. R. I. A. a. No. 2. R. I. A. 6. No. 3. Dr. Wilde 2. No. 4. Dr. Wil . 5. Dr. Wilde 4 (Dunshaughlin). No. 6. Dr. Wilde 5 (Dunshaughl Ie3. in). 1 Trans. Linn. Soc. iii. p. 16. |