The beagle may be mentioned as a sort of foxhound in miniature, and
nothing can well be more perfect than the shape of these small dogs.
But how different are they in their style of hunting! The beagle,
which has always his nose to the ground, will puzzle for a length of
time on one spot, sooner than he will leave the scent. The foxhound,
on the contrary, full of life, spirit, and high courage, is always
dashing and trying forward. The beagle, however, has extraordinary
perseverance, as well as nicety of scent, and also a liveliness of
manner in hunting, which, joined to its musical and melodious note,
will always afford pleasure to the lovers of the chase, or at least to
those who are unable to undertake the more exciting sport of
fox-hunting. In rabbit-shooting, in gorse and thick cover, nothing
can be more cheerful than the beagle; and they have been called
rabbit-beagles from this employment, for which they are peculiarly
qualified, especially those dogs which are somewhat wire-haired.
In the reign of Queen Elizabeth a race of beagles had been bred so
small, that a pack of them could be carried out to the field in a pair
of panniers. That Princess is said to have had little _singing
beagles_, a single one of which could be placed in a man's glove, and
they probably at this time received the name of _lap-dog_ beagles.
Dryden, in his "Fables," alludes to these dogs as follows:--
"The graceful goddess was array'd in green;
About her feet were little beagles seen,
That watch'd with upward eyes the motions of their queen."