[Illustration:
THE HARRIER.
]
These Dogs are kept for the business of the chase. They pursue the hare
with the greatest eagerness, hardly giving her time to breathe. The most
eager sportsmen find it sufficient exercise to keep in with their speed.
There is a kind of Dog between this and the large Terrier, which forms a
strong, active, and hardy Hound, used in hunting the otter. It is rough,
wire-haired, thick-quartered, long-eared, and thin-shouldered. There is
reason to suppose, that the Beagle and the Harrier must have been
introduced into Great Britain after the Romans became masters of the
island a thousand years ago, as, before that time the Britons were
occupied in clearing their extensive forests of the various wild beasts,
such as wild boars, bears and wolves, with which they then abounded; and
for that purpose larger and stronger dogs than the Harrier or the Beagle
would be required.
In the New Forest, in 1810, a person, in getting over a stile observed
there was blood upon it; he knew that deer had been killed, and sheep
stolen. He obtained a bloodhound. The dog being brought to the spot and
led to the scent followed in it, and at length came to a heap of furze,
belonging to a cottager. The woman of the house attempted to drive away
the dog, but was prevented. On removing the faggots a hole was found
containing the body of a sheep and a quantity of salted meat.
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