Nearly four Score years ago the "ancient type'' did exist then; began a mania for "improvment" which provided nothing more nor less than the general spoilation of the race so that from that time up to the recent regeneration brought about by the Grand Duke and Mr. Boldareff, Russian kennels in general contained hounds similar to those in the Imperial Kennels of to-day. The short coated white Polish, his cousin, the English greyhound and the long-eared Crimean hounds supplied the foreign blood. What the effect of this promiscuous crossing had on the ''ancient type" is only too evident; prominent stops, poor coats, large ears, short and gaily carried tails were the most prominent legacies of the foreign invasion, not 'to mention a motley and ill-bred appearance in the packs. Nineteen years ago the Grand Duke Nicolai gathered the progenitors of his now wonderful kennel. Eight years ago he won his first gold medal at Moscow - the first, by the way, which had been awarded for twenty years.

   To briefly explain the method of regeneration, it is only necessary to state that it was brought about by a violent out-cross; for example, a strain containing Russian and English blood was crossed with another strain containing Russian and Crimean blood. Some of the progeny of such crosses reverted to the ''ancient type," and by the most careful selection of these, for years in succession, the above-mentioned results were brought about. In the last seven years the Grand Duke has won, in the single class, seven out of the eight gold medals ever offered at Moscow, and three out of the five gold medals for wolf teams (two dogs and a bitch). The other two gold medals for teams have been won by hounds of Mr. Boldareff's breeding.

   We know very wet that some skeptic will ask how it happens that so little has been seen or heard of these extraordinary dogs. May we ask the question, how many borzoi authorities have ever visited Russia, and - what is more to the point - how many have ever visited the kennels we mention, and in recent years? We have already said that ten years ago the type did not exist in large numbers; even to-day it is held practically in two kennels and from these two kennels no good hounds ever are sold, except as a special favor or mark of courtesy. To say the least, we were very much flattered in being able to secure from the kennels of the Grand Duke such a dog as the white and brindle Bistri, by Almar, winner of the Gold Medal in single and team classes, out of Ptachka, and with every grand sire and dam a Silver Medal winner. From the Boldareff kennels we were fortunate enough to be able to purchase the Great Silver Medal white bitch, Sorva, by Lioubezny, he winner of the Great Silver Medal - the prize for wolf coursing - and in a team, the Gold Medal. In addition to this pair we brought out, as a gift from that most keen of fanciers and genial of hosts, Artem Boldareff, the Bronze Medal white bitch, Atamanka, by Koptchiek, thrice a Silver Medal winner and pronounced the best all-white dog in Russia. Atamanka, is litter sister to the Gold Medal team winner, Karatai, the best-coated and perhaps most typical dog in all Russia.

   It is not only a great satisfaction to have secured such specimens, but it may be considered doubly so, when one can import them, knowing exactly what their breeding is, and hay-

Home