COUPE 176 COURT tailed in some states a parish or a shire; or, more specifically, the Roman name of what in Saxon times had been called a shire. In Saxon times, one created an earl received a shire to govern. When the Normans took possession of the land these Saxon earls were displaced by noblemen of similar rank who had come across with the Conqueror, and who from being his companions were called comites. These each ruled a shire {comitatus) , and from the Latin desig- nation comitatus the English word coun- ty ultimately came. In most of the United States the counties, to a great extent, preserve an autonomy, each being provided with its own sheriff, cor- oner, judiciary, and inferior legislative body (for purposes of local enactment), generally styled commissioners. Each county is charged with the support of its own paupers, with the maintenance of good roads, etc., and for local election purposes, usually constitutes an inde- pendent constituency. COUPE (ko-pa'), a four-wheeled carriage carrying two inside, with a seat for the driver outside. COUPON, a warrant or certificate for the periodical payment of interest on bonds issued for any term of years. The interest being payable in different cases quarterly, half-yearly, or yearly, as many coupons are attached to each bond as rep- resent the total number of such pay- ments as are to be made, with the date of payment printed on each. COURBET, GUSTAVE (kor-ba'), a French painter; born in Ornans, Franche- Comtd, June 10, 1819. In 1839 he was sent to study law in Paris, but turned to- ward art. In 1841 he took to landscape work, painting in the forest of Fontaine- bleau. In 1844 he began to exihibit at the Salon; and his works created a great sensation when shown in the Salon of 1850. His hunting scenes and animal sub- jects are especially vigorous and spirit- ed. In 1869 he accepted the Cross of the Order of St. Michael from the King of Bavaria, and after the revolution of 1870 he was appointed Director of the Fine Arts. In the following year he joined the Commune, and was concerned in the de- struction of the Vendome Column (May 16), for which, in the following Septem- ber, he was sentenced to six months' im- prisonment, and to be fined for its res- toration, his pictures being sold in 1877 toward that purpose. On his release he retired to Vevey, in Switzerland, where he died, Dec. 81, 1877. COURLAND, or KURLAND, a former Russian government, and one of what, under the Empire, were called the Baltic provinces. It was formerly an inde- pendent duchy — properly, indeed, consist- ing of two duchies, Courland and Sem- gallen — and belonged, along with Livonia, to the Teutonic Knights. The difficulty of resisting the Russians led to the ac- knowledgment in 1561 of the feudal sov- ereignty of Poland. The country was long distracted by the contentions of two parties, one Russian and the other Polish ; and was finally united to Russia in 1795. Biron was made Duke of Courland in 1737. It contains about 10,480 square miles; population about 812,000, mostly Protestants. It is generally a level coun- try, with ranges of low hills, and con- tains many lakes, bogs, forests, and sand- dunes, but some parts have a very fertile soil. Cattle-breeding is on the increase; game abounds; and bears, boars, elks, and wolves are met with occasionally. The proprietors of land are mostly Ger- man; the peasantry, of Lettish extrac- tion, are chiefly engaged in husbandry. There is little manufacturing industry. The capital is Mitau (pop. 47,000), the most flourising town is Libau (pop. about 90,000). In the World War (1914-1918) the Germans occupied it as a base for their attacks on Riga. In November, 1918, Courland, together with certain parts of the former Russian provinces of Livonia and Vitebsk, was formed into an independent state under the name of Latvia (g. v.). COURSING, the hunting of hares with greyhounds, which follow the game by sight, and not by scent. Coursing meet- ings are held in open parts of the coun- try where hares are abundant, and the owners of greyhounds enter their respec- tive dogs for various stakes. A judge is appointed, whose duty it is to decide witl respect to the merits of the dogs engaged. The sport then begins by two dogs being selected for n course. The judge follows the greyhounds throughout the whole course, and awards the victory to the dog which shows the finest qualities of speed, endurance, and sagacity; and not neces- sarily to the dog which kills the hare. Coursing is of great antiquity, and is treated of by Arrian, who flourished A. D. 150. A pastime known as "Hare and Hounds," somewhat similar to coursing, was at one time quite popular in the United States. In this form one or more men, known as the Hares, were given a time handicap and provided with slips ol paper which they dropped from time to time to show their trail. These runners were followed by others, known as Hounds, and the object was that the Hounds should overtake the Hares. COURT, in law, a tribunal of justice; the hall, chamber, or place where justice
