BEAGLES, a small sort of hounds or hunting dogs. Beagles are of different kinds, as the southern beagle.
something less and shorter, but thicker, than the deep-mouthed hound; the fleet northern or cat beagle, smaller and of a finer shape than the southern, and a harder runner. From the two, by crossing the strains, is bred a third sort, considered preferable to either. And to these may be added a still smaller sort of beagles, scarcely bigger than lap-dogs, which make pretty diversion in hunting the coney or even the small hare in dry weather, but are otherwise unserviceable by reason of their size.