The bones and the joints of the chine great and hard like the chine of a hart. And if his chine be a little high it is better than if it were flat. A little pintel and little ballocks, and well trussed near the ars, small womb,[162] the hocks straight and not bent as of an ox, a cat's tail making a ring at the end and not too high, the two bones of the chine behind broad of a large palm's breadth or more. Also there are many good greyhounds with long tails right swift. A good greyhound should go so fast that if he be well slipped he should overtake any beast, and there where he overtakes it he should seize it where he can get at it the soonest, _nevertheless he shall last longer if he bite in front or by the side_.[163] He should be courteous and not too fierce, following well his master and doing whatever he command him. He shall be good and kindly _and clean_, glad and joyful and playful, well willing and goodly to all manner of folks save to the wild beasts to whom he should be fierce, spiteful and eager. [162] The following words should be added here, a line having been omitted by the scribe: "and straight near the back as a lamprey, the thighs great and straight as a hare." They are in Shirley MS. and G. de F., p. 104. [163] In lieu of this original passage G. de F., p. 105, has: "sans abayer, et sans marchander" ("without baying or bargaining"). [Illustration: THE SMOOTH AND THE ROUGH-COATED GREYHOUNDS (From MS. f. fr. 616, _Bib. Nat._, Paris)] CHAPTER XVI OF ALAUNTES AND OF THEIR NATURE