This is another and the smallest of hounds or hunting dogs, as the name "Beagle," which means smallness, implies. The following description from Somerville's poem, "The Chase," applies with propriety to either the Beagle or harrier, and is as clear, minute, and correct as it is beautiful:

His glossy skin, or yellow pied or blue,

In lights or shades by Nature's pencil drawn,

Reflects the various tints; his ears and legs,

Flecked here and there in gay enamelled pride,

Rival the speckled pard; his rush grown tail

O'er his broad back bends in an ample arch;

On shoulders clean upright and firm he stands;

His round cat foot, straight hams, and wide-spread thighs,

And his low drooping chest, confess his speed,

His strength, his wind, or on the steepy hill

Or far extended plain.

MR. E. JACKSON'S BEAGLE "MARKSMAN." Sire Merryman - Dam Hebe, by Croney out of Madcap.

Of the antiquity of the breed there can be no doubt. It is said that Queen Elizabeth owned a pack so small that they could be carried in a man's glove - a statement which we must take cum grano salts. Gervase Markham describes "the little Beagle which may be carried in a man's glove " - probably a mere quibble, the fact being that these dogs were bred so small that one could be easily carried in a gloved hand. Whilst on the subject of their size I may quote the following from the " Sportsman Cabinet," published 1803: "The late Col. Hardy had once a collection of this diminutive tribe amounting to ten or twelve couple, which were always carried to and from the field of glory in a large pair of panniers slung across a horse; small as they were and insignificant as they would now seem, they could invariably keep a hare at all her shifts from escaping them, and finally worry or rather tease her to death."

Although Gervase Markham doubtless refers to the Beagles of the time of Elizabeth, it is singular that Johannes Caius, in his " English Dogges," does not mention the beagle, nor does he specially refer to any diminutive hound, although he lived during the first fifteen years of Elizabeth's reign, when dwarf " singing Beagles " are reported to have been popular.

These small hounds are spoken of by Oppian as one of the kind of dogs peculiar to the ancient Britons:

There is a kind of dog of mighty fame

For hunting; worthy of a fairer frame;

By painted Britons brave in war they're bred,

Are beagles called, and to the chase are led,

Their bodies small, and of so mean a shape,

You'd think them curs that under tables gape.

Not only in the time of Elizabeth, but in our own, there has been an occasional rage for very diminutive Beagles, and much emulation in producing the most perfect liliputian hound. The writer of the article on this breed in "The Dogs of the British Islands" describes Mr. Crane's Southover Beagles as perfect in symmetry and excellent in nose and intelligence, and not exceeding 9in. in height, and all of them model miniature hounds. It is to be regretted that the Beagle is not more encouraged by committees. of shows, and that, when a class is made for them, all sizes are lumped together.

I have spoken of the Beagle as a dwarf hound, which he is, but there is a considerable difference in outline between him and the modern foxhound; the former is not so clean in the shoulder, his head is different in shape, the skull being in proportion broader and flatter, and the jaw shorter, the ear longer, and there is always more or less dewlap or throatiness.

Beagles may be fairly classified as hare Beagles and rabbit Beagles, other distinction than size being minor. Their power of scent is exquisitely keen and their intelligence great, and when well sorted in these respects and in size, work wonderfully together, puzzling out even the coldest scent, whilst their music is most charming.

Although occasionally, they are not much used with the gun, except in driving woods and spinnies for rabbits, etc.

Of whatever size, the Beagle should be shapely, as free from lumpy shoulders as possible, legs straight, and more bone and stronger pasterns than is generally seen would be an improvement; the ears are very long, hang close, and are very fine in the leather; ribs rather more rounded than in the foxhound, with the back ribs well let down; back and loins strong, and hind quarters very cobby and muscular; the tail roughish and gaily carried. The colours are various, as in the harrier, and chosen to suit individual tastes.

This article, when it appeared in The Country, called forth the following letter of friendly criticism, which is well worthy of a place here:

"In his paper on the beagle, I observe that 'Corsincon' affects to class the breed into hare and rabbit beagles, with the remark that other distinction than size is 'minor.' Now, it is not very often I find room to differ with 'Corsincon,' but I honestly confess I do here. In the first place I believe the term rabbit beagle to have been coined for a half-breed between the beagle and the terrier. The beagle pur et simple is, and ever has been, a hound valued essentially for its exquisite power of scent; bred, as Gervase Markham tells us, 'for delight only, being of curious scents, and passing cunning in their hunting, for the most part tiring, but seldom killing the prey.' The different requirements in a hare hound and a 'rabbiter' are strikingly pronounced. In the former, delicacy of nose is all important; but in the latter, where the quarry is rarely found further than a stone's throw from his burrow, which he can dart into before you can shout 'knife,' the less nose in your dogs the better.

Of course I am fully aware that beagles are occasionally employed in driving woods and spinnies, as well as gorse and fern brakes for rabbits, but I say there is no special breed for this purpose either in size or character.

"A pack of these half-bred small-sized terrier-beagle-rabbiters is given by Stradanus in his thirty-eighth plate, with an explanatory quatrain by Duffloeus:

Callidus effosais latitare curriculus antris Et generare solet. Verum persaepe catelli Anglorum celeres fallunt pecus: ore prehendunt Illusum: praedam venatorique ministrant.

"Now for the second chapter of my disagreement. I maintain there are as many types of beagles as there are of spaniels, mastiffs, or St. Bernards. Some are rough as Jack Russell's terriers, or Mr. Carrick's otter hounds; others as smooth and silky coated as a dachshund or a toy terrier. There are strains - possibly derived from a cross with the foxhound - showing the clean cut throat and symmetry of a Manchester terrier; and quite as familiar is the exact double of the Segusian dog mentioned by Arrian in the third chapter of his 'Book on Coursing':-'Shaggy and ugly, and such as are most high bred are most unsightly.' Again, there is a very distinct variety in 'the Kerry beagle,' a specimen which may, roughly speaking, be described as a miniature bloodhound, being of precisely the same colour, and sharing many of that noble dog's chief characteristics. The beautiful short legged basset of France, the dachshund of Germany, and the peculiar Swedish beagle, are but branches of the one family, which most truly exists in all the symmetry of variety."

The following description and points of Beagles are by H. A. Clark, Esq., Master of the Cockermouth Beagles:

"Head, like a foxhound, not quite so broad across forehead, with sweet, intelligent countenance, the head long, and the nose should not come to a sharp point.

"Ears long, and set on low down, and carried close to head, not too broad, and the thinner in the leather the better.

"Neck and throat long and lean, but some of the heavier hounds are very loose in throat and have a deep voice.

" Shoulders long and strong, well clothed with muscle.

"Chest deep and wide; ribs also deep.

"Back strong and wide, and especially wide across loins. Bitches are generally better across loins than dogs, for their size.

"Hind quarters, the stronger the better, wide and deep; stern strong at set on, and tapering, carried high, but not curled.

"Legs straight, although for work they are no worse standing a little over on the forelegs, strong of bone; feet round, like a cat.

"Colour, black, white, and tan; black and white. I had a heavy dog this colour, that was always first to find game, and always led. He was well known among the Cumbrians, and they knew his voice, and said, 'Dar, that's auld Duster; we'll have a run noo.' Occasionally beagles are the colour of bloodhounds.

"The beagle should be hard in condition, with plenty of muscle.

"The Cockermouth beagles hunt the hare often on Skiddaw and in the lake district. Some capital runs are enjoyed about Buttermere, where it is a grand sight to see the little hounds on the breast of a mountain, when a sheet could cover them sometimes, and their cry is melodious. It takes us all our time to keep up with them on a good flat country. In the season 1878 and 1879 we killed eighty. We do not mount our huntsman. In summer the dogs are sent out to farms, etc, to walk, and are great pets with children."

The following are the measurements of two good dogs: Mr. H. A. Clark's Comely: Age, 6 years; weight, 27½lb.; height at shoulder, 14¾in.; length from nose to set on of tail, 30in.; length of tail, 11in.; girth of chest, 21in.; girth of loin, 18in.; girth of head, 13½in.; girth of forearm, 5½in.; length of head from occiput to tip of nose, 8in.; girth of muzzle midway between eyes and tip of nose, 7½in.; length of ears from tip to tip, 17in.

Mr. H. A. Clark's dog Crowner: Age, 5 years; weight, 26½lb.; height at shoulder, 15in.; length from nose to set on of tail, 31in.; length of tail, l0½in.; girth of chest, 22in.; girth of loin, 18½in.; girth of head, 14in.; girth of forearm, 6in.; length of head from occiput to tip of nose, 7 ½in.; girth of muzzle midway between eyes and tip of nose, 8in.; length of ears from tip to tip, 17½in.