NOTES BY TERROR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2425, 5 September 1900, Page 32

NOTES BY TERROR.

— Alluding to the wins of Maoriland dogs in competition with Australian, " Nota Bene" of -the Sydney Mail says: — "In. the matter of coat at least, the Australian-bred dog will ever be at a disadvantage when competing with the best grown across the water." Most New Zealand breeders have recognised this fact for a, long time, and it is thought that before long it will be acknowledged that our dogs excel in stamina also. — The attention of all those who are interested in the achievements of the canine race in the cause of luimanity are riveted upon the efforts now being made by Mr H. G. H. Sandemah to get his bloodhounds upon the track of the Breelong murderers. Great as are the difficulties to be faced by the hounds and theii owner, still greater must be those of the police- and civilians without their aid in the country in which the Governors have taken refuge. At the time of writing there is not much progress to record. Mr Sandeman and the hounds arrived at Mudgee on Saturday morning, and from there they were driven to near Home Rule, where it was reported that the blacks had been seen. This, howe^ cr, proved to be a false alarm. Thence they were driven to Wollar, which was reached on Saturday night. On Sunday morning a start was made for Uarby, Avhere the fugitives were seen on Saturday morning very early. The sympathy of Mr Sandeman's follow members of the Kennel Club will go out strongly to liim iv his dangerous mission.

While the failure of his efforts will not by any means prove that bloodhounds may not in the futuie be used successfully to follow up criminals in country districts, his success would probably be the commencement of a

new era in detective* work, and in the equally important but far less difficult (to bloodhounds) work of searching for children and others lost in the bush. — Town and Country Journal. — "Nota Bene," Sydney Mail, writes: — Many erroneous impressions exist in regard to the blpodhound. They do not directly follow scent like the foxhound, but travel well away to leeward, thus cutting off the corners. When the hounds overtake the quarry they do not, as fiction would have us believe, tear their prey to piecss, but are overcome with delight, and show their pleasure by jumping and barking round the object of their chase. On the authority of Mr Edwin Brough, the most noted breeder of the bloodhound in England, the dog is not so called because he follows biood, but in the same sense as a racshorse is called a blood horse. In common with all hounds, they require a certain amount of teaching, and a well-trained dog will follow a clean boot Avith such rapidity as to render it difficult for a rider to keep up the pace. They are difficult dogs to rear, as the mothers wil not nestle close to their puppies, and consequently many catch cold and die. Dr L. L. Smith, _of Melbourne, is credited with importing the first bloodhound to the colonies. — This is what the boy wrote about the dachshund :—": — " The dockshound is a, dorg not-wßhsta-ndin' appeerencis. He has fore legs, two in front an' two behind, an' they ain't on ppeekin' terms. I wunst made a doekshouncl out of a com cumber an' fore matchis, an' it loolct as nacheral as life. Docksliounds is farely intelligent considerin' thare shaip. Thare biaiiis beiu' to far away from thare lalea it bothers ihern sum to wag the Jattur. I wunst noo a dockshound who was too impashunt to wate till he cood signal the hole length of his boddy when he wanted to wag hi? talc, so he maid it up with his tail th.et when he wanted it to wag he would shake his rito oar, and when the tale seen it shake it wood wag. But as fer me, gimme a bull pup with a peddygroe."