ANECDOTESOFDOGS. 

BY

EDWARD JESSE, ESQ. 

"Histories are more full of examples ofthe fidelity of dogs than of friends. " POPE. 

With numerous Engravings. 

LONDON:HENRY G. BOHN, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN. MDCCCLVIII. 

LONDON:Printed by G. Barclay, Castle St. Leicester Sq. 

PREFACE. 

The character, sensibilities, and intellectual faculties of animalshave always been a favourite study, and they are, perhaps, morestrongly developed in the dog than in any other quadruped, from thecircumstance of his being the constant companion of man. I am awarehow much has been written on this subject, but having accumulated manyoriginal and interesting anecdotes of this faithful animal, I haveattempted to enlarge the general stock of information respecting it. It is a pleasing task, arising from the conviction that the more thecharacter of the dog is known, the better his treatment is likely tobe, and the stronger the sympathy excited in his behalf. 

Let me hope, that the examples which are given in the following pageswill help to produce this effect, and that a friend so faithful, aprotector so disinterested and courageous, will meet with thatkindness and affection he so well deserves. 

It is now my grateful duty to express my thanks to those friends whohave so kindly contributed original anecdotes to this work, andespecially to Lady Morgan and Mrs. S. Carter Hall for their remarks onthe Irish wolf-dog. 

I have also to acknowledge my obligations for various anecdotesillustrative of the character of peculiar dogs, extracted from ColonelHamilton Smith's volumes in the Naturalist's Library and CaptainBrown's interesting sketches; as well to the Editor of the "IrishPenny Magazine" for his extremely well-written account of the Irishwolf-dog; and to other sources too numerous to mention. 

The present new edition is considerably enlarged, both in matter andplates, and, to suit the taste of the age is presented in a cheap andpopular form. 

My Publisher has, as usual, lent his aid, and is responsible for someof the additional anecdotes, for the account of the _Setter_, and forall after page 458, including the chapter "On Feeding and Management. "

EDWARD JESSE. 

_East Sheen, Sept. 1858. _

ENGRAVINGS ON WOOD. 

 TITLE. PAINTER. ENGRAVER. PAGE

 1. Spaniel & Newfoundland Dogs W. Harvey W. Branston 1 2. Retriever W. Harvey W. Branston 54 3. Tail-piece W. P. Smith T. Gilks 83 4. Deer-hounds W. Harvey W. Branston 85 5. Tail-piece W. P. Smith T. Gilks 132 6. Newfoundland Dog W. Harvey W. Branston 133 7. Tail-piece W. P. Smith T. Gilks 184 8. The Colley, or Shepherd's Dog Stewart Pearson 185 9. Tail-piece W. P. Smith T. Gilks 239 10. St. Bernard Dog W. P. Smith T. Gilks 240 11. Chasseur & Cuba Bloodhounds Freeman Whiting 250 12. Tail-piece W. P. Smith T. Gilks 263 13. The Terrier W. Harvey W. Branston 264 14. Tail-piece W. P. Smith T. Gilks 299 15. The Blenheim Spaniel W. Harvey Pearson 300 16. Tail-piece W. P. Smith T. Gilks 330 17. The Poodle Carpendale Pearson 331 18. Tail-piece W. P. Smith T. Gilks 352 19. Vignette W. P. Smith T. Gilks 353 20. Otter Hunting W. P. Smith T. Gilks 361 21. Tail-piece W. Harvey Vizitelly 366 22. Greyhounds W. Harvey Vizitelly 367 23. Tail-piece C. D. Radcliffe E. Landells 382 24. The Pointer W. Harvey W. Branston 383 25. Tail-piece W. P. Smith T. Gilks 399 26. The Setter W. Harvey W. Branston 400 27. Tail-piece Bewick Bewick 411 28. The Comforter W. R. Smith Pearson 412 29. A Pugnacious Pair Cruickshank Cruickshank 417 30. The Foxhound C. D. Radcliffe E. Landells 421 31. Hounds in a Bath C. D. Radcliffe E. Landells 437 32. The Beagle W. R. Smith T. Gilks 438 33. Tail-piece C. D. Radcliffe E. Landells 439 34. The Mastiff W. Harvey Whimper 440 35. Tail-piece W. R. Smith T. Gilks 453 36. The Bull-dog W. Harvey Vizitelly 454 37. Tail-piece W. R. Smith T. Gilks 458 38. Tail-piece Seymour Pearson 481 39. Feeding Hounds C. D. Radcliffe E. Landells 482 40. Tail-piece W. R. Smith T. Gilks 490

CONTENTS. 

 INTRODUCTION--Value, propensities, and origin of the dog, 1 _et passim_--the wolf partially domesticated, 6--wild dogs of Ceylon, 15--Sir Walter Scott's bull-dog terrier Camp, 16--the dog and the pieman, 17--death of a dog from affection for its deceased mistress, 18--frozen fowls rescued by a house-dog, 19--Sir R. Brownrigg's dog, 19--the author's terrier Phiz, 20--a dog fond of travelling by himself, 20--runaway horse caught by a dog, 21--lost money guarded by, 21--dogs can reckon time, 22--death of a dog from joy at the return of his master, 22--faithfulness of a dog to its charge, 24--the dog's character influenced by that of its master, 25--sense of smelling, 26--duel about a dog, 28--murder prevented by, 29--a faithful dog killed by mistake, 30--sporting anecdotes of Smoaker, Bachelor, Blunder, &c. , 31--intelligence of the dog, 42--tact in cat-hunting, 44--find their way home from long distances, 46--bantam rescued from a game cock, 46--perception of right and wrong, 47--turkey punished for gluttony, 48--speaking dogs, 48-9--a singing dog, 50--creatures of habit, 50--Caniche and the breeches, 51--distinguishes his master's customers, 54--a robber killed by a dog, 55--Dr. Hooper's dog, 55--the fireman's dog, Tyke, 56--the fireman's dog, Bill, 60--dog used as a servant, 61--Mr. Backhouse's dog, 62--the post-dog's revenge, 62--dog returns from Bangalore to Pondicherry, 63--Mr. Decouick's dog, 63--a dog saves human life, 64--guards a chair dropped from a waggon, 64--rescues his master from an avalanche, 64--spaniel tracks his master to Drury Lane, and discovers him in the pit, 65--large dog rescues a small one from drowning, 65--a canine messenger, 66--contrivance of a Newfoundland to get a bun, 67--dog lost for nine weeks in the dome of St. Paul's, 67--support themselves in a wild state, 69--laughable account of the transmigration of souls in connexion with dogs, 71--sheep-dogs in the Pyrenees, 76--Mrs. S. C. Hall's dog, 77--musical spaniel of Darmstadt, 77--Lord Grenville's lines on the dog, 82. 

THE IRISH AND HIGHLAND WOLF-DOG. 

 History of the Irish wolf-dog, 86 _et seq. Passim_--supposed recognition of a wolf-dog of the Irish blood royal, 86--lines on the Irish wolf-dog, 88--anecdotes from Plutarch, 89--the dog of Montargis, 90--the dog of Aughrim, 93--wolf-hunting in Tyrone, 94--sheep-killing wolf-dog, 107--Buskar and Bran, 112--incident with Lord Ossulton's hounds, 116--Bruno and O'Toole, 117--a deer-hound recovers a glove from a boy, 119--Sir W. Scott's dog Maida, 120--a deer-hound detains a suspicious person, 120--follows a wounded deer for three days, 121--Comhstri drowns a stag, 122--Scotch dogs much prized in England, 123--Llewellyn and Beth Gelert, 124--Lady Morgan on the Irish wolf-dog, 127. 

THE NEWFOUNDLAND DOG. 

 Character, &c. , 133--saves people from drowning, 135--Baby, 136--saves a child from being run over, 136--saves a spaniel from being drowned, 137--saves a gentleman from drowning at Portsmouth, 138--saves a man in a mill-stream, 138--calculating dogs, 138--Sabbath party disturbed by a dog, 139--Archdeacon Wix's dog, 140--a Newfoundland brings away breeches containing money belonging to his master, 143--commits suicide, 145--saves a coachman in the Thames, 146--tries to drown a spaniel, 147--uses his paw as a fishing-bait, 148--in carrying two hats puts one inside other, 148--three dogs previously enemies unite against a common foe, 149--a dog saves his drowning enemy, 151--releases himself and companions from captivity, 152--a swimming-wager amusingly lost by a dog's care, 153--the dog as postman, 153--swims for ten hours in a tempestuous sea, 153--saves his dead master's pocket-book, 154--Lord Grenville's lines on the, 155--Newfoundland dog ducks his aggressor, 157--carries a rope to the shore, 158--saves an ungrateful master, 158--guardian of a lady's honour, 160--anecdotes of Mr. M'Intyre's dog Dandie, 160-5--a Newfoundland causes the detection of a dishonest porter, 165--saves twelve persons from drowning, 166--watches over his drunken master, 167--his humanity occasions a disturbance at Woolwich Theatre, 167--carries a lanthorn before his master, 168--saves the lives of all on board the Durham Packet, 170--drowns a pet lamb out of jealousy, 171--rescues a canary which had flown into the sea, 171--saves his old master from robbers, 173--St. John's and Labrador dogs, 176--long remembrance of injuries, 177--discovers a poacher, 178--discretion and revenge, 178--returns from Berwick to London, 179--the Romans had some dog of the same kind, 179--liberates a man who had fallen into a gravel-pit, 180--Boatswain provides his mistress a dinner, 181--a trespasser detained, 181--Victor at the Battle of Copenhagen, 182--a Newfoundland dog retrieves on the ice, 182--fetches a coat from the tailor's, 183--lines by Lord Eldon, 184. 

THE COLLEY OR SHEPHERD'S DOG. 

 Saves the life of Mr. Satterthwaite, 186--the Ettrick Shepherd's dog, Sirrah, collects a scattered flock at midnight, 188--Hector, 189--points the cat, 191--has an ear for music, 194--hears where his master is going, and precedes him, 196--a wonderful sheep-dog, 199--a bitch having pupped deposits her young in the hills, and afterwards fetches them home, 201--cunning of sheep-stealing dogs, 202-5--a sheep-dog dies of starvation whilst tending his charge, 206--discrimination of a sheep-dog, 207--a sheep-dog remembers all the turnings of a road, 208--follows a young woman who had borrowed his mistress's cloak, 211--Drummer saves a cow, 212--Cæsar rescues his master from an avalanche, 213--a sheep-dog snatches away a beggar's stick, 214--a colley conducts the flock whilst his master is drinking, 214--dishonesty punished, 215--a sporting colley, 216--a colley buries her drowned offspring, 217--brings assistance to her helpless master, 217--saves his master from being frozen to death, 219--his master having broken his arm sends home his dog for assistance, 220--a colley punishes a tailor's dog for worrying his flock, 221--the sheep-stealing colley, 222--a colley distinguishes diseased sheep, 228--the Ettrick Shepherd's story of the dog Chieftain, 230--a colley feeds his master's lost child on the Grampian Hills, 232--the shepherds' dogs of North Wales, 235--training a colley, 238. 

THE ST. BERNARD DOG. 

 Mrs. Houston's lines on the, 240--peculiar intelligence of, 241--the monks and their dogs, 242--a dog saves a woman's life, 243--intuitive foreboding of danger, 244--a dog saves a child, 245--revenges his ill-treated master, 247--a St. Bernard dog named Barry saves forty lives, 248--destruction of a whole party by an avalanche, 249. 

THE BLOODHOUND. 

 Habits of the bloodhound, 251--its remarkable scent, 252--pursuit of Wallace with a bloodhound, 253--bloodhounds employed for hunting negroes in Cuba, 253--a bloodhound traces a miscreant twenty miles, 255--Sir W. Scott's description of a bloodhound, 255--extract from Wanley's "Wonders, " 256--a bloodhound discovers a lost child, 257--the Spanish chasseurs and their dogs, 258--a sheepstealer discovered by a bloodhound, 260--atrocities of the Spaniards, 261. 

THE TERRIER. 

 Its varieties, 265--Peter, 266--a terrier kills a child from jealousy, 268--pines to death from jealousy, 268--guards a lady in her walks, 269--affection of a terrier, 269--Sir Walter Scott's description of Wasp, 270--brings assistance to his imprisoned master, 271--gets a friend to pay his boat-hire, 272--Mrs. Grosvenor's dog, 273--a bell-ringing and message-carrying terrier, 273--a dog knows his mistress's dress, and follows the wearer, 274--anecdotes of a terrier at Hampton Court, 274--a terrier saves his master from being burnt to death, 277--suckles a rat, 277--tries to prevent his master from beating his son, 278--Pincer seeks assistance in dislodging rats, 278--a terrier rescues her two drowned pups, 280--seeks assistance in getting a bone, 281--gets a lady to ring the bell for him, 282--flies at the throat of a man who attacks his master, 282--a grateful terrier, 283--attachment to a cat, 283--clever expedient of two affectionate dogs, 284--Snap, 285--the fate of a gentleman revealed to his family by means of a terrier, 286--a terrier in the Tower follows a soldier to find his master, 288--Snob, 289--a terrier suckles fox-cubs, 290--brings assistance to his canine friend, 291--returns from York to London, 292--finds a thief in the cupboard, 292--friendship between a terrier and bantam, 293--traces his master to Gravesend, 294--Peter, 295--a terrier suckles a kitten, 295--a terrier discovers where his master has travelled by the scent, 296--nurses a brood of ducklings and chickens, 296--brings his master's wife to the dead body of her husband, 297--Keeper recognises his master's vessel after a long interval, 298. 

THE SPANIEL. 

 Sings, 300--affected by a particular air, 301--gathers a water-lily, 303--retrieves a wild duck, 303--a grateful spaniel, 304--faithful to his guillotined master, 304--Dash, her intelligence and fidelity, 305--gratitude for surgical assistance, 306--spaniels in cover, 308--the Clumber spaniels, 308--Lord Albemarle's spaniels, 309--suckling, 309--friendship between a dog and cat, 310--Rose travels from London to Worcester, 311--recognition of his master after a long absence, 312--friendship between a spaniel and partridge, 313--a spaniel avoids being left behind, 315--an adept in shoplifting, 316--takes up his abode at a grave in St. Bride's churchyard, 317--dies of grief for his dam's death, 317--dogs of the poor the most affectionate, 318--a spaniel takes up his abode in St. Olave's churchyard, 319--causes a man to be executed for murder, 320--saves the life of Mrs. Alderman Yearsley, 321--a spaniel's recognition of his old master by scent, 323--a King Charles spaniel alarms his mistress and saves her from being robbed, 324--a spaniel knocks at the door, 326--opens the gate to release other dogs, 326--imitates his master in eating turnips, 327--finds his way from Boston to Chepstow, 328--prevents a cat from stealing meat, 329--Mrs. Browning's lines on, 329. 

THE POODLE. 

 The Shoeblack's poodle, 332--two learned poodles exhibited at Milan, 332--a poodle reminds the servant that he wants a walk, 336--hides the whip, 336--performance in a London theatre, 337--finds his way from London to Inverary, 342--supports himself during his master's absence, 342--friendship with a terrier, 342--discerns a rogue at first sight, and causes him to be detected, 343--enjoys a glass of grog, 344--carries three puppies a long distance, one at a time, 345--fetches his master's slippers, &c. , 346--imitates the agonies of death, 346--goes to church by habit without the family, the road being overflowed, 347--watches over the dead body of his master, 347--protects his master's body, 348--climbs up a house in Wells Street, Oxford Street, 348--anecdote of Froll, 349. 

THE ESQUIMAUX DOG. 

 Traditions, 353--Capt. Lyons' account of the, 354--Col. Hamilton Smith's account of one, 359. 

THE OTTER TERRIER. 

 Somerville's description of an otter-hunt, 361--otter-hounds almost extinct, 362--otter-hunting, 363 to end of chapter. 

THE GREYHOUND. 

 Match between a Scotch greyhound and Snowball, 368--Match between a greyhound and a racehorse, 368--its courage and perseverance, 369--a coursed hare dies of exhaustion, 369--a hare and two dogs die of exhaustion, 370--a wild greyhound, 370--greyhounds coupled pursue a hare, 372--a greyhound brings assistance to his drowning master, 372--finds his way from Cumnock to Castle Douglas, 373--canine friendship, 373--King Richard's greyhound, 375--attachment between St. Leger and his greyhound, 377--the Persian greyhound, 379. 

THE POINTER. 

 Its origin and present breed, 384--a pointer punished by her grand-dam, 386--disgust at a bad shot, 387--pointing on the top of a wall, 388--steady pointing, 389--a weather-wise pointer, 389--guards some dropped birds all night, 389--finds his way back from America, 390--traces his master four hundred miles, 390--M. Léonard's dogs, Brague and Philax, 391--a pointer acts as a landing-net, 394--calls the attention of his master to a hare, 394--an extraordinary pointer, 395--a pointer suckles a hedgehog, 398. 

THE SETTER. 

 Its origin and present breed, 400--smells birds a hundred yards off, 401--acts as a retriever, 402--traces a wounded deer, and brings her master to it next morning, 403--finds a lost whip, 404--gratitude of a dying setter, 405--friendship with a cat, 406--a setter angry with his master for missing birds, 406--falls in love with a mongrel, 407--effect of imagination on pregnant bitches, 408--Médor brings the keys to his shut-out mistress, 409--sagacity in hunting red-legged partridges, 410. 

THE PUG DOG. 

 Its history and progress, 412--a pug saves the life of the Prince of Orange, 413--a lady incurs a pug's displeasure for preventing him from stealing, 414--a pug pronounces the word William, 415--ditto Elizabeth, 416--the Comforter, 416. 

THE TURNSPIT. 

 Recollections of it, 418--an industrious dog punishes his lazy fellow-labourer, 419--one dog forces another to take his turn at the wheel, 420. 

THE FOXHOUND. 

 Somerville's lines on, 421--friendship between a fox and a pack of hounds, 424--dog always attacks the fox's head, 424--a hound finds its way back from Lincolnshire to Frogmore, 425--dog found swimming across the Channel, 425--dog finds its way back from Ireland to Liverpool, 425--three hounds escape from their kennel in Ireland and return to Leicestershire, 426--bitch after losing her eye continues to follow the fox, 427--three hounds hunt a fox alone for seven hours, 428--pack of hounds hunt a fox for eight hours, 428--a hound follows a fox for thirty hours, 429--foxhound follows with her new-born pup in mouth, 429--hounds follow a fox for four days, 430--fox leaps a precipice of sixty yards and is followed by the hounds, 433--foxhounds refuse to eat a bag-fox, 435. 

BEAGLE. 

 Description of, 438--lines on, by Dryden and Pope, 439. 

MASTIFF. 

 Description of, 440--detects and kills a housebreaker, 443--mastiff engages a bear, a leopard, and a lion, 444--prevents his master from being murdered by his valet, 446--gentle towards children, 448--killed by the wheel of a cart rather than desert his charge, 449--attacks a horse which had trodden upon him, 450--drops a snarling cur into the water, 453. 

BULL-DOG. 

 Description of, 454--saves a shipwrecked crew, 457. 

DALMATIAN OR COACH-DOG. 

 Finds its way from France to England, 461--affection for a horse, 462. 

GREAT DANISH DOG. 

 Discovers a murderer under the bed, 464--dies of starvation rather than eat his master's game within reach, 465--rings a convent bell for his dinner, 466. 

CUR DOG. 

 Prevents a man from stealing a bridle, 468--carries his master's dinner to him daily, 470--pursues a pony and conducts him to the stable, 474. 

LURCHER. 

 Hunting rabbits, 477--attacks a fox and is killed by the hounds, 479. 

BAN DOG. 

 Gratitude for a favour conferred, 480. 

[Illustration: SPANIEL AND NEWFOUNDLAND DOGS. ]

A French writer has boldly affirmed, that with the exception of womenthere is nothing on earth so agreeable, or so necessary to the comfortof man, as the dog. This assertion may readily be disputed, but stillit will be allowed that man, deprived of the companionship andservices of the dog, would be a solitary and, in many respects, ahelpless being. Let us look at the shepherd, as the evening closes inand his flock is dispersed over the almost inaccessible heights ofmountains; they are speedily collected by his indefatigable dog--nordo his services end here: he guards either the flock or his master'scottage by night, and a slight caress, and the coarsest food, satisfyhim for all his trouble. The dog performs the services of a horse inthe more northern regions; while in Cuba and some other hot countries, he has been the scourge and terror of the runaway negroes. In thedestruction of wild beasts, or the less dangerous stag, or inattacking the bull, the dog has proved himself to possess pre-eminentcourage. In many instances he has died in the defence of his master. He has saved him from drowning, warned him of approaching danger, served him faithfully in poverty and distress, and if deprived ofsight has gently led him about. When spoken to, he tries to holdconversation with him by the movement of his tail or the expression ofhis eyes. If his master wants amusement in the field or wood, he isdelighted to have an opportunity of procuring it for him; if he findshimself in solitude, his dog will be a cheerful and agreeablecompanion, and maybe, when death comes, the last to forsake the graveof his beloved master. 

There are a thousand little facts connected with dogs, which many, whodo not love them as much as I do, may not have observed, but whichall tend to develope their character. For instance, every one knowsthe fondness of dogs for warmth, and that they never appear morecontented than when reposing on the rug before a good fire. If, however, I quit the room, my dog leaves his warm berth, and placeshimself at the door, where he can the better hear my footsteps, and beready to greet me when I re-enter. If I am preparing to take a walk, my dog is instantly aware of my intention. He frisks and jumps about, and is all eagerness to accompany me. If I am thoughtful ormelancholy, he appears to sympathise with me; and, on the contrary, when I am disposed to be merry, he shows by his manner that herejoices with me. I have often watched the effect which a change in mycountenance would produce. If I frown or look severe, but withoutsaying a word or uttering a sound, the effect is instantly seen by theears dropping, and the eyes showing unhappiness, together with adoubtful movement of the tail. If I afterwards smile and look pleased, the tail wags joyously, the eyes are filled with delight, and the earseven are expressive of happiness. Before a dog, however, arrives atthis knowledge of the human countenance, he must be the companion ofyour walks, repose at your feet, and receive his food from your hands:treated in this manner, the attachment of the dog is unbounded; hebecomes fond, intelligent, and grateful. Whenever Stanislas, theunfortunate King of Poland, wrote to his daughter, he alwaysconcluded his letter with these words--"Tristan, my companion inmisfortune, licks your feet:" thus showing that he had still onefriend who stuck to him in his adversity. Such is the animal whosepropensities, instincts, and habits, I propose to illustrate byvarious anecdotes. 

The propensities of the dog, and some of them are most extraordinary, appear to be independent of that instinct which Paley calls, "apropensity previous to experience, and independent of instruction. "Some of these are hereditary, or derived from the habits of theparents, and are suited to the purposes to which each breed has longbeen and is still applied. In fact, their organs have a fitness orunfitness for certain functions without education;--for instance, avery young puppy of the St. Bernard breed of dogs, when taken on snowfor the first time, will begin to scratch it with considerableeagerness. I have seen a young pointer of three or four weeks oldstand steadily on first seeing poultry, and a well-bred terrier puppywill show a great deal of ferocity at the sight of a rat or mouse. 

Sir John Sebright, perhaps the best authority that can be quoted onthis subject, says that he had a puppy of the wild breed of Australia;that the mother was with young when caught, and the puppy was born inthe ship that brought her over. This animal was so like a wolf, notonly in its appearance, but in all its habits, that Sir John at firstdoubted if it really were a dog, but this was afterwards proved byexperiment. 

Of all the propensities of the brute creation, the well-knownattachment of the dog to man is the most remarkable, arising probablyfrom his having been for so many years his constant companion, and theobject of his care. That this propensity is not instinctive is proved, by its not having existed, even in the slightest degree, in theAustralian dog. 

Sir John Sebright kept this animal for about a year, almost always inhis room. He fed him himself, and took every means that he could thinkof to reclaim him, but with no effect. He was insensible to caresses, and never appeared to distinguish Sir John from any other person. Thedog would never follow him, even from one room to another; nor wouldhe come when called, unless tempted by the offer of food. Wolves andfoxes have shown much more sociability than he did. He appeared to bein good spirits, but always kept aloof from the other dogs. He waswhat would be called tame for an animal in a menagerie; that is, hewas not shy, but would allow strangers to handle him, and neverattempted to bite. If he were led near sheep or poultry, he becamequite furious from his desire to attack them. 

Here, then, we see that the propensities that are the most marked, andthe most constant in every breed of domestic dogs, are not to be foundin animals of the same species in their natural state, or even intheir young, although subjected to the same treatment from the momentof their birth. 

Notwithstanding the above-mentioned fact, we may, I think, considerthe domestic dog as an animal _per se_; that is, that it neither owesits origin to the fox nor wolf, but is sprung from the wild dog. Ingiving this opinion, I am aware that some naturalists have endeavouredto trace the origin of the dog from the fox; while others, and some ofthe most eminent ones, are of opinion that it sprung from the wolf. Ishall be able to show that the former is out of the question. Thewolf, perhaps, has some claim to be considered as the parent animal, and that he is susceptible of as strong attachment as the dog isproved by the following anecdote, related by Cuvier. 

He informs us, that a young wolf was brought up as a dog, becamefamiliar with every person whom he was in the habit of seeing, and inparticular, followed his master everywhere, evincing evident chagrinat his absence, obeying his voice, and showing a degree of submissionscarcely differing in any respect from that of the domesticated dog. His master, being obliged to be absent for a time, presented his petto the Ménagerie du Roi, where the animal, confined in a den, continued disconsolate, and would scarcely eat his food. At length, however, his health returned, he became attached to his keepers, andappeared to have forgotten all his former affection; when, after anabsence of eighteen months, his master returned. At the first word heuttered, the wolf, who had not perceived him amongst the crowd, recognised him, and exhibited the most lively joy. On being set atliberty, the most affectionate caresses were lavished on his oldmaster, such as the most attached dog would have shown after anabsence of a few days. 

A second separation was followed by similar demonstrations of sorrow, which, however, again yielded to time. Three years passed, and thewolf was living happily in company with a dog, which had been placedwith him, when his master again returned, and again the long-lost butstill-remembered voice was instantly replied to by the most impatientcries, which were redoubled as soon as the poor animal was set atliberty; when, rushing to his master, he threw his fore-feet on hisshoulders, licking his face with the most lively joy, and menacing hiskeepers, who offered to remove him, and towards whom, not a momentbefore, he had been showing every mark of fondness. 

A third separation, however, seemed to be too much for this faithfulanimal's temper. He became gloomy, desponding, refused his food, andfor a long time his life appeared in great danger. His health at lastreturned, but he no longer suffered the caresses of any but hiskeepers, and towards strangers manifested the original savageness ofhis species. 

Mr. Bell, in his "History of Quadrupeds, " mentions a curious fact, which, I think, still more strongly proves the alliance of the dogwith the wolf, and is indeed exactly similar to what is frequentlydone by dogs when in a state of domestication. He informs us, that he"remembers a bitch-wolf at the Zoological Gardens, which would alwayscome to the front bars of her den to be caressed as soon as he, or anyother person whom she knew, approached. When she had pups, she used tobring them in her mouth to be noticed; and so eager, in fact, was shethat her little ones should share with her in the notice of herfriends, that she killed all of them in succession by rubbing themagainst the bars of her den, as she brought them forwards to befondled. "

Other instances might be mentioned of the strong attachment felt bywolves to those who have treated them kindly, but I will now introducesome remarks on the anatomical affinities between the dog, the fox, and the wolf, which serve to prove that the dog is of a breed distinctfrom either of the last-mentioned animals. 

It must, in fact, be always an interesting matter of inquiryrespecting the descent of an animal so faithful to man, and soexclusively his associate and his friend, as the dog. Accordingly, this question has been entertained ever since Natural History took therank of a science. But the origin of the dog is lost in antiquity. Wefind him occupying a place in the earliest pagan worship; his name hasbeen given to one of the first-mentioned stars of the heavens, and hiseffigy may be seen in some of the most ancient works of art. Pliny wasof opinion that there was no domestic animal without its unsubduedcounterpart, and dogs are known to exist absolutely wild in variousparts of the old and new world. The Dingo of New Holland, amagnificent animal of this kind, has been shown to be susceptible ofmutual attachment in a singular degree, though none of the experimentsyet made have proved that he is capable, like the domestic dog, of asimilar attachment to man. The parentage of the wild dogs has beenassigned to the tame species, strayed from the dominion of theirmasters. This, however, still remains a question, and there is reasonto believe that the wild dog is just as much a native of thewilderness as the lion or tiger. If there be these doubts about ananimal left for centuries in a state of nature, how can we expect tounravel the difficulties accumulated by ages of domestication? Whoknows for a certainty the true prototype of the goat, the sheep, orthe ox? To the unscientific reader such questions might appear idle, as having been settled from time immemorial; yet they have never beenfinally disposed of. The difficulty, as with the dog, may be connectedwith modifications of form and colour, resulting from thelong-continued interference of man with the breed and habits ofanimals subjected to his sway. 

Buffon was very eloquent in behalf of the claim of the sheep-dog to beconsidered as the true ancestor of all the other varieties. Mr. Hunterwould award this distinction to the wolf; supposing also that thejackal is the same animal a step further advanced towardscivilization, or perhaps the dog returned to its wild state. As theaffinity between wolf, jackal, fox, and dog, cannot fail to attractthe notice of the most superficial observer; so he may ask if they donot all really belong to one species, modified by varieties ofclimate, food, and education? If answered in the negative, he wouldwant to know what constitutes a species, little thinking that thisquestion, apparently so simple, involves one of the nicest problems innatural history. Difference of form will scarcely avail us here, forthe pug, greyhound, and spaniel, are wider apart in this respect, thanmany dogs and the wild animals just named. It has often been said thatthese varieties in the dog have arisen from artificial habits andbreeding through a long succession of years. This seems very like mereconjecture. Can the greyhound be trained to the pointer's scent or thespaniel to the bulldog's ferocity? But admitting the causes assignedto be adequate to the effects, then the forms would be temporary, andthose of a permanent kind only would serve our purpose. Of this natureis the shape of the pupil of the eye, which may be noticed somewhatparticularly, not merely to make it plain to those who have neverthought on the subject, but with the hope of leading them toreflections on this wondrous inlet to half our knowledge, the moreespecially as the part in question may be examined by any one in hisown person by the help of a looking-glass. In the front of the eyethen, just behind the transparent surface, there is a sort of curtaincalled the _iris_, about the middle of which is a round hole. This isthe pupil, and you will observe that it contracts in a strong light, and dilates in a weaker one, the object of which is to regulate thequantity of light admitted into the eye. Now the figure of the pupilis not the same in all animals. In the horse it is oval; in the wolf, jackal, and dog, it is round, like our own, however contracted; but inthe fox, as in the cat, the pupil contracts vertically into anelongated figure, like the section of a lens, and even to a sort ofslit, if the light be very strong. 

This is a permanent character, not affected, as far as is at presentknown, by any artificial or natural circumstances to which the dog hasbeen subjected. Naturalists, therefore, have seized upon thischaracter as the ground for a division of animals of the dog kind, thegreat genus _Canis_ of Linnæus, into two groups, the diurnal andnocturnal; not to imply that these habits necessarily belong to allthe individuals composing either of these divisions, for that would beuntrue, but simply that the figure of the pupils corresponds with thatfrequently distinguishing day-roaming animals from those that prowlonly by night. It is remarkable that a more certain and serviceablespecific distinction is thus afforded by a little anatomical point, than by any of the more obvious circumstances of form, size, orcolour. Whether future researches into the minute structure of animalsmay not discover other means to assist the naturalist indistinguishing nearly allied species, is a most important subject forinquiry, which cannot be entertained here. But to encourage those whomay be disposed to undertake it, I must mention the curious fact, thatthe group to which the camel belongs is not more certainly indicatedby his grotesque and singular figure than by the form of the redparticles which circulate in his blood. And here again the inherentinterest of the matter will lead me to enter a little intoparticulars, which may engage any one who has a good microscope in amost instructive course of observations, not the least recommendationof which is, that a just and pleasing source of recreation may be thuspursued by evening parties in the drawing-room, since the slightestprick of the finger will furnish blood enough for a microscopicentertainment, and you may readily procure a little more forcomparison from any animal. 

Now the redness of the blood is owing to myriads of minute objects inwhich the colour of the vital fluid resides. They were formerly calledglobules, but as they are now known to be flattened and disc-like, they are more properly termed particles or corpuscles. Their form iswonderfully regular, and so is their size within certain limits; inbirds, reptiles, or fishes, the corpuscles are oval. They are circularin man, and all other mammalia, except in the camel tribe, in whichthe corpuscles are oval, though much smaller than in the loweranimals. Thus, in the minutest drop of blood, any one of the camelfamily can be surely distinguished from all other animals, even fromits allies among the ruminants; and what is more to our purpose, in pursuing this inquiry, Mr. Gulliver has found that theblood-corpuscles of the dog and wolf agree exactly, while those of allthe true foxes are slightly though distinctly smaller. 

These curious facts are all fully detailed in Mr. Gulliver's Appendixto the English version of Gerber's Anatomy, but I think that they arenow for the first time enlisted into the service of Natural History. 

Thus we dismiss the fox as an alien to the dog, or, at all events, asa distinct species. Then comes the claim of the wolf as the trueoriginal of the dog. Before considering this, let us revert to thequestion of what constitutes a species. Mr. Hunter was of opinion thatit is the power of breeding together and of continuing the breed witheach other; that this is partially the case between the dog and thewolf is certain, for Lord Clanbrassil and Lord Pembroke proved thefact beyond a doubt, above half-a-century ago; and the followingepitaph in the garden at Wilton House is a curious record of theparticulars:--

 Here lies Lupa, Whose Grandmother was a Wolf, Whose Father and Grandfather were Dogs, and whose Mother was half Wolf and half Dog. She died on the 16th of October, 1782, Aged 12 years. 

Conclusive as this fact may appear, as proving the descent of the dogfrom the wolf, it is not convincing, the dog having characters whichdo not belong to the wolf. 

The dog, for instance, guards property with strictest vigilance, whichhas been entrusted to his charge; all his energies seem roused atnight, as though aware that that is the time when depredations arecommitted. His courage is unbounded, a property not possessed by thewolf: he appears never to forget a kindness, but soon loses therecollection of an injury, if received from the hand of one he loves, but resents it if offered by a stranger. His docility and mentalpliability exceed those of any other animal; his habits are social, and his fidelity not to be shaken; hunger cannot weaken, nor old ageimpair it. His discrimination is equal, in many respects, to humanintelligence. If he commits a fault, he is sensible of it, and showspleasure when commended. These, and many other qualities, which mighthave been enumerated, are distinct from those possessed by the wolf. It may be said that domestication might produce them in the latter. This may be doubted, and is not likely to be proved; the fact is, thedog would appear to be a precious gift to man from a benevolentCreator, to become his friend, companion, protector, and theindefatigable agent of his wishes. While all other animals had thefear and dread of man implanted in them, the poor dog alone looked athis master with affection, and the tie once formed was never broken tothe present hour. 

It should also be mentioned, in continuation of my argument, that theexperiment of the wolf breeding with the dog is of no value, becauseit has never been carried sufficiently far to prove that the progenywould continue fertile _inter se_. The wolf has oblique eyes--the eyesof dogs have never retrograded to that position. If the dog descendedfrom the wolf, a constant tendency would have been observed in theformer to revert to the original type or species. This is a law in allother cross-breeds--but amongst all the varieties of dogs, thistendency has not existed. I may also add, that as far as I have beenable to ascertain the fact, the number of teats of the female wolfhave never been known to vary. With respect to the dog, it is knownthat they do vary, some having more, and others a less number. 

Having thus brought forward such arguments as have occurred to me toprove that the dog is a breed _sui generis_, I will give a fewanecdotes to show how different this animal is in his specificcharacter to the wolf, and that he has a natural tendency toacknowledge man as his friend and protector, an instinct never shownby the wolf. 

In Ceylon there are a great number of what are called wild dogs, thatis, dogs who have no master, and who haunt villages and jungles, picking up what food they are able to find. If you meet one of theseneglected animals, and only look at him with an expression ofkindness, from that moment he attaches himself to you, owns you forhis master, and will remain faithful to you for the remainder of hislife. 

"Man, " says Burns, "is the God of the dog; he knows no other; and seehow he worships him! With what reverence he crouches at his feet, withwhat reverence he looks up to him, with what delight he fawns uponhim, and with what cheerful alacrity he obeys him!"

Such is the animal which the brutality of man subjects to so muchill-treatment; its character depends very much on that of his master, kindness and confidence produce the same qualities in the dog, whileill-usage makes him sullen and distrustful of beings far more brutalthan himself. 

I have had many opportunities of observing how readily dogs comprehendlanguage, and how they are aware when they are the subject ofconversation. A gentleman once said in the hearing of an old andfavourite dog, who was at the time basking in the sun, --"I must havePonto killed, for he gets old and is offensive. " The dog slunk away, and never came near his master afterwards. Many similar anecdotesmight be brought forward, but I will mention one which Captain Browntells us he received himself from Sir Walter Scott. 

"The wisest dog I ever had, " said Sir Walter, "was what is called thebulldog terrier. I taught him to understand a great many words, insomuch that I am positive that the communication betwixt the caninespecies and ourselves might be greatly enlarged. Camp once bit thebaker, who was bringing bread to the family. I beat him, and explainedthe enormity of his offence; after which, to the last moment of hislife, he never heard the least allusion to the story, in whatevervoice or tone it was mentioned, without getting up and retiring intothe darkest corner of the room, with great appearance of distress. Then if you said, 'the baker was well paid, ' or, 'the baker was nothurt after all, ' Camp came forth from his hiding-place, capered, andbarked, and rejoiced. When he was unable, towards the end of his life, to attend me when on horseback, he used to watch for my return, andthe servant would tell him 'his master was coming down the hill, orthrough the moor, ' and although he did not use any gesture to explainhis meaning, Camp was never known to mistake him, but either went outat the front to go up the hill, or at the back to get down to themoor-side. He certainly had a singular knowledge of spoken language. "An anecdote from Sir Walter Scott must be always pleasing. 

Mr. Smellie, in his "Philosophy of Natural History, " mentions acurious instance of the intellectual faculty of a dog. He states that"a grocer in Edinburgh had one which for some time amused andastonished the people in the neighbourhood. A man who went through thestreets ringing a bell and selling pies, happened one day to treatthis dog with a pie. The next time he heard the pieman's bell he ranimpetuously toward him, seized him by the coat, and would not sufferhim to pass. The pieman, who understood what the animal wanted, showedhim a penny, and pointed to his master, who stood at the street-door, and saw what was going on. The dog immediately supplicated his masterby many humble gestures and looks, and on receiving a penny heinstantly carried it in his mouth to the pieman, and received his pie. This traffic between the pieman and the grocer's dog continued to bedaily practised for several months. "

The affection which some dogs show to their masters and mistresses isnot only very often surprising, but even affecting. An instance ofthis lately occurred at Brighton. The wife of a member of the towncouncil at that place had been an invalid for some time, and at lastwas confined to her bed. During this period she was constantlyattended by a faithful and affectionate dog, who either slept in herroom or outside her door. She died, was buried, and the dog followedthe remains of his beloved mistress to her grave. After the funeralthe husband and his friends returned to the house, and while they werepartaking of some refreshment the dog put its paws on his master'sarm, as if to attract his attention, looked wistfully in his face, andthen laid down and instantly expired. 

In giving miscellaneous anecdotes in order to show the generalcharacter of the dog, I may mention the following very curious one. 

During a very severe frost and fall of snow in Scotland, the fowls didnot make their appearance at the hour when they usually retired toroost, and no one knew what had become of them; the house-dog at lastentered the kitchen, having in his mouth a hen, apparently dead. Forcing his way to the fire, the sagacious animal laid his charge downupon the warm hearth, and immediately set off. He soon came again withanother, which he deposited in the same place, and so continued tillthe whole of the poor birds were rescued. Wandering about thestack-yard, the fowls had become quite benumbed by the extreme cold, and had crowded together, when the dog observing them, effected theirdeliverance, for they all revived by the warmth of the fire. 

That dogs possess a faculty nearly allied to reason cannot, I think, be doubted. Mr. Davy, in his "Angler in the Lake District, " (acharming work), gives one or two anecdotes in proof of this. 

When Mr. Davy was at Ceylon, the Governor of that Island, the late SirRobert Brownrigg, had a dog of more than ordinary sagacity. He alwaysaccompanied his master, being allowed to do so, except on particularoccasions, such as going to church or council, or to inspect histroops, when the Governor usually wore his sword; but when the dog sawthe sword girded on, he would only follow to the outer door. Without aword being said, he would return and wait the coming back of hismaster, patiently remaining up-stairs at the door of his privateapartment. So it is with respect to my own pet terrier, Phiz. When hesees me putting on my walking-shoes, my great-coat, or hat, he is alleagerness to accompany me, jumping about me and showing his joy. Buton Sundays it is very different. My shoes, great-coat or hat, may beput on, but he remains perfectly resigned on the rug before the fire, and never attempts or shows any inclination to follow me. Is the dogguided in acting thus by instinct or reason?

Let me give another instance from Mr. Davy's work. 

Once when he was fishing in the highlands of Scotland, he saw a partyof sportsmen, with their dogs, cross the stream, the men wading, thedogs swimming, with the exception of one, who stopped on the bankpiteously howling. After a few minutes he suddenly ceased, and startedoff full speed for a higher part of the stream. Mr. Davy was able tokeep him in view, and he did not stop till he came to a spot where aplank connected the banks, on which he crossed dry-footed, and soonjoined his companions. 

Dogs have sometimes strange fancies with respect to moving from oneplace to another. A Fellow of a College at Cambridge had a dog, whichsometimes took it into his head to visit his master's usual places ofresort in London. He would then return to his home in Suffolk, andthen go to Cambridge, remaining at each place as long as he feltdisposed to do so, and going and returning with the most perfectindifference and complacency. 

The extraordinary sense of a dog was shown in the following instance. A gentleman, residing near Pontypool, had his horse brought to hishouse by a servant. While the man went to the door, the horse ran awayand made his escape to a neighbouring mountain. A dog belonging to thehouse saw this, and of his own accord followed the horse, got hold ofthe bridle and brought him back to the door. 

I have been informed of two instances of dogs having slipped theircollars and put their heads into them again of their own accord, afterhaving committed depredations in the night, and I have elsewherementioned the fact of a dog, now in my possession, who undid thecollar of another dog chained to a kennel near him. These are curiousinstances of sense and sagacity. 

Mr. Bell, in his "History of British Quadrupeds, " gives us thefollowing fact of a dog belonging to a friend of his. This gentlemandropped a louis d'or one morning, when he was on the point of leavinghis house. On returning late at night, he was told by his servant thatthe dog had fallen sick, and refused to eat, and, what appeared verystrange, she would not suffer him to take her food away from beforeher, but had been lying with her nose close to the vessel, withoutattempting to touch it. On Mr. Bell's friend entering the room, thedog instantly jumped upon him, laid the money at his feet, and beganto devour her victuals with great voracity. 

It is a curious fact that dogs can count time. I had, when a boy, afavourite terrier, which always went with me to church. My mother, thinking that he attracted too much of my attention, ordered theservant to fasten him up every Sunday morning. He did so once ortwice, but never afterwards. Trim concealed himself every Sundaymorning, and either met me as I entered the church, or I found himunder my seat in the pew. Mr. Southey, in his "Omniana, " informs usthat he knew of a dog, which was brought up by a Catholic andafterwards sold to a Protestant, but still he refused to eat anythingon a Friday. 

Dogs have been known to die from excess of joy at seeing their mastersafter a long absence. An English officer had a large dog, which heleft with his family in England, while he accompanied an expedition toAmerica during the war of the Colonies. Throughout his absence, theanimal appeared very much dejected. When the officer returned home, the dog, who happened to be lying at the door of an apartment intowhich his master was about to enter, immediately recognised him, leaptupon his neck, licked his face, and in a few minutes fell dead at hisfeet. A favourite spaniel of a lady recently died on seeing hisbeloved mistress after a long absence. 

A gentleman who had a dog of a most endearing disposition, was obligedto go a journey periodically once a-month. His stay was short, andhis departure and return very regular, and without variation. The dogalways grew uneasy when he first lost his master, and moped in acorner, but recovered himself gradually as the time for his returnapproached; which he knew to an hour, nay, to a minute. When he wasconvinced that his master was on the road, at no great distance fromhome, he flew all over the house; and if the street door happened tobe shut, he would suffer no servant to have any rest until it wasopened. The moment he obtained his freedom away he went, and to acertainty met his benefactor about two miles from town. He played andfrolicked about him till he had obtained one of his gloves, with whichhe ran or rather flew home, entered the house, laid it down in themiddle of the room, and danced round it. When he had sufficientlyamused himself in this manner, out of the house he flew, returned tomeet his master, and ran before him, or gambolled by his side, till hearrived with him at home. "I know not (says Mr. Dibdin, who relatesthis anecdote), how frequently this was repeated; but it lasted tillthe old gentleman grew infirm, and incapable of continuing hisjourneys. The dog by this time was also grown old, and became atlength blind; but this misfortune did not hinder him from fondling hismaster, whom he knew from every other person, and for whom hisaffection and solicitude rather increased than diminished. The oldgentleman, after a short illness, died. The dog knew thecircumstance, watched the corpse, blind as he was, and did his utmostto prevent the undertaker from screwing up the body in the coffin, andmost outrageously opposed its being taken out of the house. Being pasthope, he grew disconsolate, lost his flesh, and was evidently vergingtowards his end. One day he heard a gentleman come into the house, andhe ran to meet him. His master being old and infirm, wore ribbedstockings for warmth. The gentleman had stockings on of the same kind. The dog perceived it, and thought it was his master, and began toexhibit the most extravagant signs of pleasure; but upon furtherexamination finding his mistake, he retired into a corner, where in ashort time he expired. "

Some dogs are so faithful that they will never quit a thing entrustedto their charge, and will defend it to the utmost of their power. Thismay be often observed in the case of a cur, lying on the coat of alabourer while he is at work in the fields, and in those of carriers'and bakers' dogs. An instance is on record of a chimney-sweeper havingplaced his soot-bag in the street under the care of his dog, whosuffered a cart to drive over and crush him to death, sooner thanabandon his charge. Colonel Hamilton Smith, in the "Cyclopædia ofNatural History, " mentions a curious instance of fidelity and sagacityin a dog. He informs us that "in the neighbourhood of Cupar, in thecounty of Fife, there lived two dogs, mortal enemies to each other, and who always fought desperately whenever they met. Capt. R---- wasthe master of one of them, and the other belonged to a neighbouringfarmer. Capt. R----'s dog was in the practice of going messages, andeven of bringing butchers' meat and other articles from Cupar. Oneday, while returning charged with a basket containing some pieces ofmutton, he was attacked by some of the curs of the town, who, nodoubt, thought the prize worth contending for. The assault was fierce, and of some duration; but the messenger, after doing his utmost, wasat last overpowered and compelled to yield up the basket, though notbefore he had secured a part of its contents. The piece saved from thewreck he ran off with, at full speed, to the quarters of his oldenemy, at whose feet he laid it down, stretching himself beside ittill he had eaten it up. A few snuffs, a few whispers in the ear, andother dog-like courtesies, were then exchanged; after which they bothset off together for Cupar, where they worried almost every dog in thetown; and, what is more remarkable, they never afterwards quarrelled, but were always on friendly terms. "

That society and culture soften and moderate the passions of dogscannot be doubted, and they constantly imbibe feelings from those oftheir master. Thus, if he is a coward, his dog is generally found tobe one. Dogs are, however, in many respects, rational beings; and someproofs of this will be given in the present work. They will watch thecountenance of their master--they will understand words, which, though addressed to others, they will apply to themselves, and actaccordingly. Thus a dog, which, from its mangy state, was ordered tobe destroyed, took the first opportunity of quitting the ship, andwould never afterwards come near a sailor belonging to it. If I desirethe servant to wash a little terrier, who is apparently asleep at myfeet, he will quit the room, and hide himself for some hours. A dog, though pressed with hunger, will never seize a piece of meat inpresence of his master, though with his eyes, his movements, and hisvoice, he will make the most humble and expressive petition. Is notthis reasoning?

But there is one faculty in the dog which would appear perfectlyincomprehensible. It is the sense of smelling. He will not only scentvarious kinds of game at considerable distances, but he has been knownto trace the odour of his master's feet through all the windingstreets of a populous city. This extreme sensibility is verywonderful. It would thus appear that the feelings of dogs are moreexquisite than our own. They have sensations, but their faculty ofcomparing them, or of forming ideas, is much circumscribed. A dog canimitate some human actions, and is capable of receiving a certaindegree of instruction; but his progress soon stops. It is, however, ananimal that should always be loved and treated with kindness. It is acurious fact, that dogs who have had their ears and tails cut formany generations, transmit these defects to their descendants. Drovers' dogs, which may always be seen with short tails, are a proofof this. 

A pleasing character of the dog is given in Smellie's "Philosophy ofNatural History. " He says:--

"The natural sagacity and talents of the dog are well known, andjustly celebrated. But when these are improved by association withman, and by education, he becomes, in some measure, a rational being. The senses of the dog, particularly that of scenting distant objects, give him a superiority over every other quadruped. He reigns at thehead of a flock; and his language, whether expressive of blandishmentor of command, is better heard and better understood than the voice ofhis master. Safety, order, and discipline, are the effects of hisvigilance and activity. Sheep and cattle are his subjects. These heconducts and protects with prudence and bravery, and never employsforce against them except for the preservation of peace and goodorder. But when in pursuit of his prey, he makes a complete display ofhis courage and intelligence. In this situation both natural andacquired talents are exerted. As soon as the horn or voice of thehunter is heard, the dog demonstrates his joy by the most expressiveemotions and accents. By his movements and cries he announces hisimpatience for combat, and his passion for victory. Sometimes he movessilently along, reconnoitres the ground, and endeavours to discoverand surprise the enemy. At other times he traces the animal's steps, and by different modulations of voice, and by the movements, particularly of his tail, indicates the distance, the species, andeven the age of the fugitive deer. All these movements andmodifications of voice are perfectly understood by experiencedhunters. When he wishes to get into an apartment he comes to the door;if that is shut, he scratches with his foot, makes a bewailing noise, and, if his petition is not soon answered, he barks with a peculiarand humble voice. The shepherd's dog not only understands the languageof his master, but, when too distant to be heard, he knows how to actby signals made with the hand. "

Mr. Brockedon, in his "Journal of Excursions in the Alps, " says:--"Inthese valleys, the early hours of retirement placed us in thedifficult situation of fighting our way to the inn door at Lanslebourgagainst a magnificent Savoyard dog, who barked and howled defiance atour attempts, for which he stood some chance of being shot. At lengtha man, hearing our threats, popped his head out of a window, andentreated our forbearance. We were soon admitted, and refreshmentsamply provided. I had heard a story of a duel fought here from Mr. N----, in which he was a principal, about a dog; and upon inquirylearnt that this was the same animal. A party of four young officers, returning from Genoa, stopped here. Mr. N---- had brought with him abeautiful little pet dog, which had been presented to him by a lady onhis leaving Genoa. Struck by the appearance of the fine dog at theinn, one of the officers bought it. He was fairly informed that thedog had been already sold to an Englishman, who had taken it as far asLyons, where the dog escaped, and returned (two hundred miles) toLanslebourg. The officer who made the purchase intended to fasten itin the same place with the little dog. This Mr. N---- objected to;when his brother-officer made some offensive allusions to the ladyfrom whom the pet had been received. An apology was demanded, andrefused. Swords were instantly drawn; they fought in the room. Mr. N---- wounded and disarmed his antagonist; an apology for theinjurious reflections followed, and the party proceeded to England. The dog was taken safely as far as Paris, where he again escaped, andreturned home (five hundred miles). I was now informed that the doghad been sold a third time to an Englishman; and again, in spite ofprecautions having been taken, he had returned to Lanslebourg fromCalais. "

A Scotch grazier, named Archer, having lost his way, and beingbenighted, at last got to a lone cottage; where, on his beingadmitted, a dog which had left Archer's house four years beforeimmediately recognised him, fawned upon him, and when he retired forthe night followed him into the chamber where he was to lie, andthere, by his gestures, induced him narrowly to examine it; and thenArcher saw sufficient to assure him that he was in the house ofmurderers. Rendered desperate by the terrors of his situation, heburst into the room where the banditti were assembled, and wounded hisinsidious host by a pistol-shot; and in the confusion which the suddenexplosion occasioned, he opened the door; and, notwithstanding he wasfired at, accompanied by his dog Brutus, exerted all the speed whichdanger could call forth until daylight, which enabled him to perceivea house, and the main road, at no great distance. Upon his arrival atthe house, and telling the master of it his story, he called up somesoldiers that were there quartered, and who, by the aid of the dog, retraced the way back to the cottage. Upon examining the building atrap-door was found, which opened into a place where, amongst themangled remains of several persons, was the body of the owner, who hadreceived the shot from the grazier's pistol in his neck; and althoughnot dead, had been, by the wretches his associates, in their quickretreat, thrown into this secret cemetery. He was, however, cured ofhis wound, delivered up to justice, tried, and executed. [A]

A merchant had received a large sum of money; and being fatigued withriding in the heat of the day, had retired to repose himself in theshade; and upon remounting his horse, had forgotten to take up the bagwhich contained the money. His dog tried to remind his master of hisinadvertency by crying and barking, which so surprised the merchant, that, in crossing a brook, he observed whether the dog drank, as hehad his suspicions of his being mad; and which were confirmed by thedog's not lapping any water, and by his increased barking and howling, and at length by his endeavouring to bite the heels of the horse. Impressed with the idea of the dog's madness, to prevent furthermischief, he discharged his pistol at him, and the dog fell. Afterriding some distance with feelings that will arise in every generousbreast at the destruction of an affectionate animal, he discoveredthat his money was missing. His mind was immediately struck that theactions of the dog, which his impetuosity had construed into madness, were only efforts to remind him of his loss. He galloped back to wherehe had fired his pistol; but the dog was gone from thence with equalexpedition to the spot where he had reposed. But what were themerchant's feelings when he perceived his faithful dog, in thestruggles of death, lying by the side of the bag which had beenforgotten! The dog tried to rise, but his strength was exhausted. Hestretched out his tongue to lick the hand that was now fondling himwith all the agony of regret for the wound its rashness had inflicted, and casting a look of kindness on his master, closed his eyes forever. [B]

I am indebted to a well-known sportsman for the following interestingaccount of some of his dogs. It affords another proof how muchkindness will do in bringing out the instinctive faculties of theseanimals; and that, when properly educated, their sense, courage, andattachment are most extraordinary. 

"Smoaker was a deer greyhound of the largest size, but of his pedigreeI know nothing. In speed he was equal to any hare greyhound; at thesame time, in spirit he was indomitable. He was the only dog I everknew who was a match for a red stag, single-handed. From livingconstantly in the drawing-room, and never being separated from me, hebecame acquainted with almost the meaning of every word--certainly ofevery sign. His retrieving of game was equal to any of the retrievingI ever saw in any other dogs. He would leap over any of the mostdangerous spikes at a sign, walk up and come down any ladder, andcatch, without hurting it, any particular fowl out of a number thatwas pointed out to him. If he missed me from the drawing-room, and haddoubts about my being in the house, he would go into the hall and lookfor my hat: if he found it, he would return contented; but if he didnot find it, he would proceed up-stairs to a window at the very top ofthe house, and look from the window each way, to ascertain if I werein sight. One day in shooting at Cranford, with his late RoyalHighness the Duke of York, a pheasant fell on the other side of thestream. The river was frozen over; but in crossing to fetch thepheasant the ice broke, and let Smoaker in, to some inconvenience. Hepicked up the pheasant, and instead of trying the ice again, he tookit many hundred yards round to the bridge. Smoaker died at the greatage of eighteen years. His son Shark was also a beautiful dog. He wasby Smoaker out of a common greyhound bitch, called Vagrant, who hadwon a cup at Swaffham. Shark was not so powerful as Smoaker; but hewas, nevertheless, a large-sized dog, and was a first-rate deergreyhound and retriever. He took his father's place on the rug, andwas inseparable from me. He was educated and entered at deer underSmoaker. When Shark was first admitted to the house, it chanced thatone day he and Smoaker were left alone in a room with a table on whichluncheon was laid. Smoaker might have been left for hours with meat onthe table, and he would have died rather than have touched it; but atthat time Shark was not proof against temptation. I left the room tohand some lady to her carriage, and as I returned by the window, Ilooked in. Shark was on his legs, smelling curiously round the table;whilst Smoaker had risen to a sitting posture, his ears pricked, hisbrow frowning, and his eyes intently fixed on his son's actions. Aftertasting several viands, Shark's long nose came in contact with abouthalf a cold tongue; the morsel was too tempting to be withstood. Forall the look of curious anger with which his father was intentlywatching, the son stole the tongue and conveyed it to the floor. Nosooner had he done so, than the offended sire rushed upon him, rolledhim over, beat him, and took away the tongue. Instead, though, ofreplacing it on the table, the father contented himself with thepunishment he had administered, and retired with great gravity to thefire. 

"I was once waiting by moonlight for wild ducks on the Ouze inBedfordshire, and I killed a couple on the water at a shot. Thecurrent was strong; but Shark, having fetched one of the birds, waswell aware there was another. Instead, therefore, of returning bywater to look for the second, he ran along the banks, as if aware thatthe strong stream would have carried the bird further down; looking inthe water till he saw it, at least a hundred yards from the spot wherehe had left it in bringing the first; when he also brought that to me. Nothing could induce either of these dogs to fetch a glove or a stick:I have often seen game fall close to me, and they would not attempt totouch it. It seemed as if they simply desired to be of service whenservice was to be done; and that when there were no obstacles to beconquered, they had no wish to interfere. Shark died at a good oldage, and was succeeded by his son Wolfe. Wolfe's mother was aNewfoundland bitch. He was also a large and powerful dog, but ofcourse not so speedy as his ancestors. While residing at my countryhouse, being my constant companion, Wolfe accompanied me two or threetimes a-day in the breeding season to feed the young pheasants andpartridges reared under hens. On going near the coops, I put down mygun, made Wolfe a sign to sit down by it, and fed the birds, withsome caution, that they might not be in any way scared. I mentionthis, because I am sure that dogs learn more from the manner andmethod of those they love, than they do from direct teaching. In frontof the windows on the lawn there was a large bed of shrubs andflowers, into which the rabbits used to cross, and where I had oftensent Wolfe in to drive them for me to shoot. One afternoon, thinkingthat there might be a rabbit, I made Wolfe the usual sign to go anddrive the shrubs, which he obeyed; but ere he had gone some yardsbeneath the bushes, I heard him make a peculiar noise with his jaws, which he always made when he saw anything he did not like, and he camesoftly back to me with a sheepish look. I repeated the sign, andencouraged him to go; but he never got beyond the spot he had been toin the first instance, and invariably returned to me with a very oddexpression of countenance. Curiosity tempted me to creep into thebushes to discover the cause of the dog's unwonted behaviour; whenthere, I found, congregated under one of the shrubs, eight or nine ofmy young pheasants, who had for the first time roosted at a distancefrom their coop. Wolfe had seen and known the young pheasants, andwould not scare them. 

"Wolfe was the cause of my detecting and discharging one of mygamekeepers. I had forbidden my rabbits to be killed until my return;and the keeper was ordered simply to walk Wolfe to exercise on thefarm. There was a large stone quarry in the vicinity, where therewere a good many rabbits, some parts of which were so steep, thatthough you might look over the cliff, and shoot a rabbit below, neither man nor dog could pick him up without going a considerable wayround. On approaching the edge of the quarry to look over for arabbit, I was surprised at missing Wolfe, who invariably stole off inanother direction, but always the same way. At last, on shooting arabbit, I discovered that he invariably went to the only spot by whichhe could descend to pick up whatever fell to the gun; and by this Ifound that somebody had shot rabbits in his presence at times when Iwas from home. 

"Wolfe accompanied me to my residence in Hampshire, and there Inaturalised, in a wild state, some white rabbits. For the first yearthe white ones were never permitted to be killed, and Wolfe saw thatsuch was the case. One summer's afternoon I shot a white rabbit forthe first time, and Wolfe jumped the garden fence to pick the rabbitup; but his astonishment and odd sheepish look, when he found it was awhite one, were curious in the extreme. He dropped his stern, made hisusual snap with his jaws, and came back looking up in my face, as muchas to say, 'You've made a mistake, and shot a white rabbit, but I'venot picked him up. ' I was obliged to assure him that I intended toshoot it, and to encourage him before he would return and bring therabbit to me. Wolfe died when he was about nine years old, and wassucceeded by my present favourite, Brenda, a hare greyhound of thehighest caste. Brenda won the Oak stakes of her year, and is a veryfast and stout greyhound. I have taught her to retrieve game to thegun, to drive home the game from dangerous sands, and, in short, to doeverything but speak; and this she attempts, by making a beautifulsort of bark when she wants her dinner. 

"I have the lop-eared rabbit naturalised, and in a half-wild and wildstate, and Brenda is often to be seen with some of the tamest of themasleep in the sun on the lawn together. When the rabbits have beengoing out into a dangerous vicinity, late in the evening, I have oftensent Brenda to drive them home, and to course and kill the wild onesif she could. I have seen one of the wild-bred lop-ears get up beforeher, and I have seen her make a start to course it; but when she sawthat it was not a native of the soil she would stop and continue hersearch for others. The next moment I have seen her course and kill awild rabbit. She is perfectly steady from hare if I tell her not torun, and is, without any exception, one of the prettiest and mostuseful and engaging creatures ever seen. She is an excellentrat-killer also, and has an amazing antipathy to a cat. When I havebeen absent from home for some time, Mrs. B. Has observed that she isalive to every sound of a wheel, and if the door-bell rings she is thefirst to fly to it. When walking on the sea-beach during my absence, she is greatly interested in every boat she sees, and watches themwith the most intense anxiety, as in the yachting season she has knownme return by sea. Brenda would take my part in a row, and she is acapital house-dog. If ever the heart of a creature was given to man, this beautiful, graceful, and clever animal has given me hers, for herwhole existence is either passed in watching for my return, or inseeking opportunities to please me when I am at home. It is a greatmistake to suppose that severity of treatment is necessary to theeducation of a dog, or that it is serviceable in making him steady. Manner--_marked and impressive manner_--is that which teachesobedience, and example rather than command forms the desiredcharacter. 

"I had two foxhounds when I hunted stag, --my pack were allfoxhounds, --they were named Bachelor and Blunder. We used to play withthem together, and they got to know each other by name. In returningfrom hunting, my brother and myself used to amuse ourselves by saying, in a peculiar tone of voice, --the one we used to use in playing withthem--'Bachelor, where's Blunder?' On hearing this, Bachelor's sternand bristles rose, and he trotted about among the pack, looking forBlunder, and when he found him he would push his nose against his earand growl at him. Thus Bachelor evidently knew Blunder by name, andthis arose from the way in which we used to play with them. At thismoment, when far away from home, and after an absence of many weeks, if I sing a particular song, which I always sing to a dog namedJessie, Brenda, though staying in houses where she had never seenJessie, will get up much excited, and look to the door and out of thewindow in expectation of her friend. I have a great pleasure in thesociety of all animals, and I love to make my house a place where allmay meet in rest and good fellowship. This is far easier to achievethan people would think for when dogs are kindly used, but impressedwith ideas of obedience. 

"The gazelle which came home from Acre in the Thunderer, was oneevening feeding from Mrs. B. 's plate at dessert, when Odion, the greatdeerhound, who was beaten in my match against the five deer by anunlucky stab in the first course, came in by special invitation forhis biscuit. The last deer he had seen previous to the gazelle he hadcoursed and pulled down. The strange expression of his dark face wasbeautiful when he first saw her; and halting in his run up to me, headvanced more slowly directly to her, she met him also in apparentwonder at his great size, and they smelled each others' faces. Odionthen kissed her, and came to me for his biscuit, and never afternoticed her. She will at times butt him if he takes up too much of thefire; but this she will not do to Brenda, except in play; and if sheis eating from Mrs. Berkeley's hand, Brenda by a peculiar look cansend her away and take her place. Odion, the gazelle, Brenda, and therabbits, will all quietly lay on the lawn together, and the gazelleand Bruiser, an immense house-dog between the bloodhound and mastiff, will run and play together. 

"I had forgotten to mention a bull-and-mastiff dog that I had, calledGrumbo. He was previous to Smoaker, and was indeed the firstfour-footed companion established in my confidence. I was then veryyoung, and of course inclined to anything like a row. Grumbo, therefore, was well entered in all kinds of strife--bulls, oxen, pigs, men, dogs, all came in turn as combatants; and Grumbo had the oddestways of making men and animals the _aggressors_ I ever knew. He seemedto make it a point of honour never to begin, but on receiving a hintfrom me; some one of his enemies was sure to commence the battle, andthen he or both of us would turn to as an oppressed party. I have seenhim walk leisurely out into the middle of a field where oxen weregrazing, and then throw himself down. Either a bull or the oxen weresure to be attracted by the novel sight, and come dancing and blowinground him. All this he used to bear with the most stoical fortitude, till some one more forward than the rest touched him with the horn. 'War to the knife, and no favour, ' was then the cry; and Grumbo hadone of them by the nose directly. He being engaged at odds, I ofcourse made in to help him, and such a scene of confusion used tofollow as was scarce ever seen. Grumbo tossed in the air, and thensome beast pinned by the nose would lie down and bellow. I should allthis time be swinging round on to some of their tails, and so it wouldgo on till Grumbo and myself were tired and our enemies happy to beata retreat. If he wished to pick a quarrel with a man, he would walklistlessly before him till the man trod on him, and then the rowbegan. Grumbo was the best assistant, night or day, for catchingdelinquents, in the world. As a proof of his thoughtful sagacity, Igive the following fact. He was my sole companion when I watched twomen steal a quantity of pheasants' eggs: we gave chase; but before Icould come near them, with two hundred yards start of me, they fled. There was no hope of my overtaking them before they reached thevillage of Harlington, so I gave Grumbo the office. Off he went, butin the chase the men ran up a headland on which a cow was tethered. They passed the cow; and when the dog came up to the cow he stopped, and, to my horror, contemplated a grab at the tempting nose. He was, however, uncertain as to whether or not this would be right, and helooked back to me for further assurance. I made the sign to go ahead, and he understood it, for he took up the running again, anddisappeared down a narrow pathway leading through the orchards to thehouses. When I turned that corner, to my infinite delight I found himplaced in the narrow path, directly in front of one of the poachers, with such an evident determination of purpose, that the man wasstanding stock still, afraid to stir either hand or foot. I came upand secured the offender, and bade the dog be quiet. "

It is, I believe, a fact, and if so, it is a curious one, that the dogin a wild state only howls; but when he becomes the friend andcompanion of man, he has then wants and wishes, hopes and fears, joysand sorrows, to which in his wilder state he appears to have been astranger. His vocabulary, if it may be so called, then increases, inorder to express his enlarged and varying emotions. He anticipatesrewards and punishments, and learns to solicit the former anddeprecate the latter. He bounds exultingly forth to accompany hismaster in his walks, rides, and sports of the field. He acts as thefaithful guardian of his property. He is his fire-side companion, evidently discerns days of household mirth or grief, and deportshimself accordingly. Hence, his energies and his sensibilities are allexpanded, and what he feels he seeks to tell in various accents, andin different ways. For instance, our little dog comes and pulls hismistress's gown and makes significant whines, if any one is in orabout the premises whom he thinks has no right to be there. I haveseen a dog pick up a stick and bring it in his mouth to his master, looking at the water first and then at his master, evidently that thestick might be thrown into it, that he might have the pleasure ofswimming after it. In my younger days, I was in the habit of teazing afavourite dog by twitching his nose and pretending to pull his ears. He would snap gently at me, but if, by accident, he gave me rather aharder bite than he had intended, he became instantly aware of it, andexpressed his regret in a way not to be mistaken. Dogs who have hurtor cut themselves will submit patiently while the wound is beingdressed, however much the operation may hurt them. They becomeinstantly sensible that no punishment is intended to be inflicted, andI have seen them lick the hand of the operator, as if grateful forwhat he was doing. Those who are in the habit of having dogsconstantly in the room with them, will have perceived how alive theyare to the slightest change in the countenance of their master; howgently they will touch him with their paw when he is eating, in orderto remind him of their own want of food; and how readily theydistinguish the movements of any inmate of the house from those of astranger. These, and many other circumstances which might bementioned, show a marked distinction between a domesticated dog andone that is wild, or who has lived with people who are in anuncivilized state, such as the Esquimaux, &c. Both the wild anddomestic dog, however, appear to be possessed of and to exerciseforethought. They will bury or hide food, which they are unable toconsume at once, and return for it. But the domestic dog, perhaps, gives stronger proofs of forethought; and I will give an instance ofit. A large metal pot, turned on one side, in which a great quantityof porridge had been boiled, was set before a Newfoundland puppy ofthree or four months old. At first, he contented himself by lickingoff portions of the oatmeal which adhered to the interior, but findingthis unsatisfactory, he scraped the morsels with his fore-paws into aheap, and then ate the whole at once. I had a dog, who, having oncescalded his tongue, always afterwards, when I gave him his milk andwater at breakfast, put his paw very cautiously into the saucer, tosee if the liquid was too hot, before he would touch it with histongue. 

Dogs have frequently been known to hunt in couples; that is, to assisteach other in securing their prey: thus associating together andadmitting of no partnership. 

At Palermo, in Sicily, there is an extraordinary quantity of dogswandering about without owners. Amongst the number, two moreparticularly distinguished themselves for their animosity to cats. Oneday they were in pursuit of a cat, which, seeing no other place ofrefuge near, made her escape into a long earthen water-pipe which waslying on the ground. These two inseparable companions, who alwayssupported each other, pursued the cat to the pipe, where they wereseen to stop, and apparently to consult each other as to what was tobe done to deceive and get possession of the poor cat. After they hadstood a short time they divided, taking post at each end of the pipe, and began to back alternately, thus giving the cat reason to supposethat they were both at one end, in order to induce her to come out. This manoeuvre had a successful result, and the cheated cat left herhiding-place. Scarcely had she ventured out, when she was seized byone of the dogs; the other hastened to his assistance, and in a fewmoments deprived her of life. [C]

The memory of dogs is quite extraordinary, and only equalled by thatof the elephant. Mr. Swainson, in his work on the instincts ofanimals, gives the following proof of this. He says that "A spanielbelonging to the Rev. H. N. , being always told that he must not followhis master to church on Sundays, used on those days to set off longbefore the service, and lie concealed under the hedge, so near thechurch, that at length the point was yielded to him. " My littleparlour dog never offers to go with me on a Sunday, although on otherdays he is perfectly wild to accompany me in my walks. 

In my younger days I had a favourite dog, which always accompanied meto church. My mother, seeing that he attracted too much of myattention, ordered the servant to shut him every Sunday morning. Thiswas done once, but never afterwards; for he concealed himself earlyevery Sunday morning, and I was sure to find him either under my seatat church, or else at the church-door. That dogs clearly distinguishthe return of Sunday cannot be doubted. 

The almost incredible penetration and expedition with which dogs areknown to return to their former homes, from places to which they havebeen sent, or carried in such a recluse way as not to retain a traceof the road, will ever continue to excite the greatest admiration. 

A dog having been given by a gentleman at Wivenhoe to the captain of acollier, he took the dog on board his vessel, and landed him atSunderland; but soon after his arrival there the dog was missing, andin a very few days arrived at the residence of his old master, inEssex. A still more extraordinary circumstance is upon record, of thelate Colonel Hardy, who, having been sent for express to Bath, wasaccompanied by a favourite spaniel bitch in his chaise, which he neverquitted till his arrival there. After remaining there four days, heaccidentally left his spaniel behind him, and returned to hisresidence at Springfield, in Essex, with equal expedition; where, inthree days after, his faithful and steady adherent arrived also, notwithstanding the distance between that place and Bath is 140 miles, and she had to explore her way through London, to which she had neverbeen, except in her passage to Bath, and then within the confines of aclose carriage. [D]

In the small town of Melbourne, in Derbyshire, cocks and hens may beseen running about the streets. One day a game cock attacked a smallbantam, and they fought furiously, the bantam having, of course, theworst of it. Some persons were standing about looking at the fight, when my informant's house-dog suddenly darted out, snatched up thebantam in his mouth, and carried it into the house. Several of thespectators followed, believing that the poor fowl would be killed andeaten by the dog; but his intentions were of a more benevolent nature. After guarding the entrance of the kennel for some time, he trotteddown the yard into the street, looked about to the right and left, andseeing that the coast was clear, he went back again, and once morereturning with his _protégé_ in his mouth, safely deposited him in thestreet, and then walked quietly away. How few human beings would haveacted as this dog had done!

Here is another curious anecdote from Mr. Davy's work. He says thatthe cook in the house of a friend of his, a lady on whose accuracy hecould rely, and from whom he had the anecdote, missed a marrow-bone. Suspicion fell on a well-behaved dog--a great favourite, and up tothat time distinguished for his honesty. He was charged with thetheft; he hung down his tail, and for a day or two was altered in hismanner, having become shy, sullen, and sheepish, to use theseexpressions for want of better. In this mood he continued, till, tothe amusement of the cook, he brought back the bone and laid it at herfeet. Then, with the restoration of her stolen property, he resumedhis cheerful manner. How can we interpret this conduct of the dog, better than by supposing that he was aware he had done amiss, and thatthe evil doing preyed on him till he had made restitution? Was notthis a kind of moral sense?

If a dog finds a bone while he is accompanying his master in a walk, he does not stay behind to gnaw it, but runs some distance inadvance, attacks the bone, waits till his master comes up, and thenproceeds forward again with it. By acting in this manner, he neverloses sight of his master. 

A dog has been known to convey food to another of his species who wastied up and pining for want of it. A dog has frequently been seen toplunge voluntarily into a rapid stream, to rescue another that was indanger of drowning. He has defended helpless curs from the attacks ofother dogs, and learns to apportion punishment according to theprovocation received, frequently disdaining to exercise his power andstrength on a weaker adversary. Repeated provocation will, however, excite and revenge. For instance, a Newfoundland dog was quietlyeating his mess of broth and broken scraps. While so employed, aturkey endeavoured to share the meal with him. The dog growled, anddisplayed his teeth. The intruder retired for a moment, but quicklyreturned to the charge, and was again "warned off, " with a likeresult. After three or four attempts of the same kind, the dog becameprovoked, gave a sudden ferocious growl, bit off the delinquent'shead, and then quietly finished his meal, without bestowing anyfurther attention on his victim. 

The celebrated Leibnitz related to the French Academy an account of adog he had seen which was taught to speak, and could call in anintelligible manner for tea, coffee, chocolate, &c. 

The dog was of a middling size, and the property of a peasant inSaxony. A little boy, the peasant's son, imagined that he perceived inthe dog's voice an indistinct resemblance to certain words, and was, therefore, determined to teach him to speak distinctly. For thispurpose he spared neither time nor pains with his pupil, who was aboutthree years old when his learned education commenced; and at length hemade such progress in language, as to be able to articulate no lessthan thirty words. It appears, however, that he was somewhat of atruant, and did not very willingly exert his talents, being ratherpressed into the service of literature, and it was necessary that thewords should be first pronounced to him each time before he spoke. TheFrench Academicians who mention this anecdote, add, that unless theyhad received the testimony of so great a man as Leibnitz, they shouldscarcely have dared to relate the circumstance. 

An invalid gentleman, who resided for some years on Ham Common, inSurrey, had a dog which distinctly pronounced John, William, and twoor three other words. A medical friend of mine, who attended thisgentleman, has frequently heard the animal utter these words; and afemale relative of his, who was often on a visit at his house, assuresme of the fact. Indeed it need not be doubted. 

These are the only two instances I have met with of talking dogs, butmy brother had a beautiful little spaniel, named Doll, who was anindefatigable hunter after woodcocks and snipes. Doll would come homein the evening after a hard day's sport, wet, tired and dirty, andthen deposit herself on the rug before the fire. Happening one day topull her ear gently when in this state, she expressed her dislike tobe disturbed by a sort of singing noise. By repeating this from day today, and saying "Sing, Doll, " she would utter notes of a somewhatmusical tone, and continue for some time after I had ceased to touchher ear, to the amusement and surprise of those who heard her. PoorDoll! I shall never see your like again, either for beauty orintelligence. If she was affronted she would come to me, at a distanceof four miles, remain some time, and then return to her master. 

A small cur, blind of one eye, lame, ugly, old, and somewhat selfish, yet possessed of great shrewdness, was usually fed with three largedogs. Watching his opportunity, he generally contrived to seize thebest bit of offal or bone, with which he retreated into a recess, theopening to which was so small that he knew the other dogs could notfollow him into it, and where he enjoyed his repast without the fearof molestation. 

Early habits predominate strongly in dogs, and indeed in otheranimals. At the house of a gentleman in Wexford, out of four dogs keptto guard the premises, three of them would always wag their tails, andexpress what might be called civility, on the approach of anywell-dressed visitors; manifesting, on the other hand, no veryfriendly feelings towards vagrants or ill-dressed people. Thefourth, --a sort of fox-hound, --which, as a puppy, had belonged to apoor man, always seemed to recognise beggars and ill-dressedpassengers as old familiar friends, growling at well-attiredstrangers, barking vehemently at gigs, and becoming almost franticwith rage at a four-wheeled carriage. 

The olfactory nerves of a dog are quite extraordinary, and it is saidthat, making allowance for difference of corporeal bulk, they areabout four times larger than those of a man. Some dogs, however, seemto excel in acuteness of hearing, and others in peculiar powers ofvision. 

We quote the following from the "Percy Anecdotes:"--

"One day, when Dumont, a tradesman of the Rue St. Denis, was walkingin the Boulevard St. Antoine with a friend, he offered to lay a wagerwith the latter, that if he were to hide a six-livre piece in thedust, his dog would discover and bring it to him. The wager wasaccepted, and the piece of money secreted, after being carefullymarked. When the two had proceeded some distance from the spot, M. Dumont called to his dog that he had lost something, and ordered himto seek it. Caniche immediately turned back, and his master and hiscompanion pursued their walk to the Rue St. Denis. Meanwhile atraveller, who happened to be just then returning in a small chaisefrom Vincennes, perceived the piece of money, which his horse hadkicked from its hiding-place; he alighted, took it up, and drove tohis inn, in the Rue Pont-aux-Choux. Caniche had just reached the spotin search of the lost piece when the stranger picked it up. Hefollowed the chaise, went into the inn, and stuck close to thetraveller. Having scented out the coin which he had been ordered tobring back in the pocket of the latter, he leaped up incessantly atand about him. The traveller, supposing him to be some dog that hadbeen lost or left behind by his master, regarded his differentmovements as marks of fondness; and as the animal was handsome, hedetermined to keep him. He gave him a good supper, and on retiring tobed took him with him to his chamber. No sooner had he pulled off hisbreeches, than they were seized by the dog; the owner conceiving thathe wanted to play with them, took them away again. The animal began tobark at the door, which the traveller opened, under the idea that thedog wanted to go out. Caniche snatched up the breeches, and away heflew. The traveller posted after him with his night-cap on, andliterally _sans culottes_. Anxiety for the fate of a purse full ofgold Napoleons, of forty francs each, which was in one of the pockets, gave redoubled velocity to his steps. Caniche ran full speed to hismaster's house, where the stranger arrived a moment afterwards, breathless and enraged. He accused the dog of robbing him. 'Sir, ' saidthe master, 'my dog is a very faithful creature; and if he has runaway with your breeches, it is because you have in them money whichdoes not belong to you. ' The traveller became still more exasperated. 'Compose yourself, sir, ' rejoined the other, smiling; 'without doubtthere is in your purse a six-livre piece, with such and such marks, which you have picked up in the Boulevard St. Antoine, and which Ithrew down there with the firm conviction that my dog would bring itback again. This is the cause of the robbery which he has committedupon you. ' The stranger's rage now yielded to astonishment; hedelivered the six-livre piece to the owner, and could not forbearcaressing the dog which had given him so much uneasiness, and such anunpleasant chase. "

A gentleman in Cornwall possessed a dog, which seemed to set a valueon white and shining pebble stones, of which he had made a largecollection in a hole under an old tree. A dog in Regent Street is saidto have barked with joy on hearing the wheels of his master's carriagedriven to the door, when he could not by any possibility see thevehicle, and while many other carriages were at the time passing andrepassing. This, I believe, is a fact by no means uncommon. 

My retriever will carry an egg in his mouth to a great distance, andduring a considerable length of time, without ever breaking or evencracking the shell. A small bird having escaped from its cage andfallen into the sea, a dog conveyed it in his mouth to the ship, without doing it the slightest injury. 

[Illustration: RETRIEVER. ]

One of the carriers of a New York paper called the "Advocate, " havingbecome indisposed, his son took his place; but not knowing thesubscribers he was to supply, he took for his guide a dog which hadusually attended his father. The animal trotted on a-head of the boy, and stopped at every door where the paper was in use to be left, without making a single omission or mistake. 

The following is from a newspaper of this year:--

"A most extraordinary circumstance has just occurred at the Hawicktoll-bar, which is kept by two old women. It appears that they had asum of money in the house, and were extremely alarmed lest they shouldbe robbed of it. Their fears prevailed to such an extent, that, when acarrier whom they knew was passing by, they urgently requested him toremain with them all night, which, however, his duties would notpermit him to do; but, in consideration of the alarm of the women, heconsented to leave with them a large mastiff dog. In the night thewomen were disturbed by the uneasiness of the dog, and heard a noiseapparently like an attempt to force an entrance into the premises, upon which they escaped by the back-door, and ran to a neighbouringhouse, which happened to be a blacksmith's shop. They knocked at thedoor, and were answered from within by the smith's wife. She said herhusband was absent, but that she was willing to accompany theterrified women to their home. On reaching the house, they heard asavage but half-stifled growling from the dog. On entering they sawthe body of a man hanging half in and half out of their little window, whom the dog had seized by the throat, and was still worrying. Onexamination, the man proved to be their neighbour the blacksmith, dreadfully torn about the throat, and quite dead. "

A dog, belonging to the late Dr. Robert Hooper, had been in theconstant habit of performing various little personal services for hismaster, such as fetching his slippers, &c. It happened one day thatDr. Hooper had been detained by his professional duties much beyondhis usual dinner hour. The dog impatiently waited for his arrival, andhe at last returned, weary and hungry. After showing his pleasure atthe arrival of his master, greeting him with his usual attention, theanimal remained tolerably quiet until he conceived a reasonable timehad elapsed for the preparation of the Doctor's dinner. As it did not, however, make its appearance, the dog went into the kitchen, seizedwith his mouth a half-broiled beefsteak, with which he hastened backto his master, placing it on the table-cloth before him. 

A few years ago, the public were amused with an account given in thenewspapers of a dog which possessed the strange fancy of attending allthe fires that occurred in the metropolis. The discovery of thispredilection was made by a gentleman residing a few miles from town, who was called up in the middle of the night by the intelligence thatthe premises adjoining his house of business were on fire. "Theremoval of my books and papers, " said he, in telling the story, "ofcourse claimed my attention; yet, notwithstanding this, and the bustlewhich prevailed, my eye every now and then rested on a dog, which, during the hottest progress of the conflagration, I could not helpnoticing running about, and apparently taking a deep interest in whatwas going on; contriving to keep himself out of everybody's way, andyet always present amidst the thickest of the stir. When the fire wasgot under, and I had leisure to look about me, I again observed thedog, which, with the firemen, appeared to be resting from the fatiguesof duty, and was led to make some inquiries respecting him. 'Is thisyour dog, my friend?' said I to a fireman. 'No, sir, ' answered he; itdoes not belong to me, or to any one in particular. We call him thefiremen's dog. ' 'The firemen's dog!' I replied. 'Why so? Has he nomaster?' 'No, sir, ' rejoined the fireman; 'he calls none of us master, though we are all of us willing enough to give him a night's lodgingand a pennyworth of meat. But he won't stay long with any of us. Hisdelight is to be at all the fires in London; and, far or near, wegenerally find him on the road as we are going along, and sometimes, if it is out of town, we give him a lift. I don't think there has beena fire for these two or three years past which he has not been at. '

"The communication was so extraordinary, that I found it difficult tobelieve the story, until it was confirmed by the concurrent testimonyof several other firemen. None of them, however, were able to give anyaccount of the early habits of the dog, or to offer any explanation ofthe circumstances which led to this singular propensity. 

"Some time afterwards, I was again called up in the night to a fire inthe village in which I resided (Camberwell, in Surrey), and to mysurprise here I again met with 'the firemen's dog, ' still alive andwell, pursuing, with the same apparent interest and satisfaction, theexhibition of that which seldom fails to bring with it disaster andmisfortune, oftentimes loss of life and ruin. Still, he called no manmaster, disdained to receive bed or board from the same hand more thana night or two at a time, nor could the firemen trace out hisresting-place. "

Such was the account of this interesting animal as it appeared in thenewspapers, to which were shortly afterwards appended severalcircumstances communicated by a fireman at one of the police offices. A magistrate having asked him whether it was a fact that the dog waspresent at most of the fires that occurred in the metropolis, thefireman replied that he never knew "Tyke, " as he was called, to beabsent from a fire upon any occasion that he (the fireman) attendedhimself. The magistrate said the dog must have an extraordinarypredilection for fires. He then asked what length of time he had beenknown to possess that propensity. The fireman replied that he knewTyke for the last nine years; and although he was getting old, yet themoment the engines were about, Tyke was to be seen as active as ever, running off in the direction of the fire. The magistrate inquiredwhether the dog lived with any particular fireman. The fireman repliedthat Tyke liked one fireman as well as another; he had no particularfavourites, but passed his time amongst them, sometimes going to thehouse of one, and then to another, and off to a third when he wastired. Day or night, it was all the same to him; if a fire broke out, there he was in the midst of the bustle, running from one engine toanother, anxiously looking after the firemen; and, although pressedupon by crowds, yet, from his dexterity, he always escaped accidents, only now and then getting a ducking from the engines, which he ratherliked than otherwise. The magistrate said that Tyke was a mostextraordinary animal; and having expressed a wish to see him, he wasshortly after exhibited at the office, and some other peculiaritiesrespecting him were related. There was nothing at all particular inthe appearance of the dog; he was a rough-looking small animal, of theterrier breed, and seemed to be in excellent condition, no doubt fromthe care taken of him by the firemen belonging to the differentcompanies. There was some difficulty experienced in bringing him tothe office, as he did not much relish going any distance from wherethe firemen are usually to be found, except in cases of attending withthem at a conflagration, and then distance was of no consequence. Itwas found necessary to use stratagem for the purpose. A firemancommenced running. Tyke, accustomed to follow upon such occasions, setout after him; but this person, having slackened his pace on the way, the sagacious animal, knowing there was no fire, turned back, and itwas necessary to carry him to the office. 

The following striking anecdote, of a similar kind, appeared in thefirst number of the new issue of Cassell's "Illustrated FamilyPaper. " After giving a short account of a fire-escape man, namedSamuel Wood, the writer thus alludes to his dog Bill:--

"As to Bill, he regards him evidently in the light of a friend; he hadhim when he was a pup from a poor fellow who died in the service, andhe and his 'Bill' have been on excellent terms ever since. 

"The fire-escape man's dog takes after his master in courage andperseverance. He is of the terrier breed, six years old. An alarm offire calls forth all his energy. He is the first to know thatsomething is wrong--the first to exert himself in setting it right. Hehas not been trained to the work--'it is a gift, ' as his master says;and if we all used our gifts as efficiently as the dog Bill, it wouldbe the better for us. On an alarm of fire Bill barks his loudest, dashes about in a frantic manner, till his master and the escape areon their way to it. He, of course, is there first, giving the policeand the crowd to understand that Wood and his fire-escape are coming. When the escape is fixed, and Wood begins to ascend the ladder, Billruns up the canvas; as soon as a window is opened, Bill leaps in anddashes about to find the occupants, loudly barking for assistance assoon as he has accomplished his errand of mercy. His watchfulness andsagacity are never at fault, although on more than one occasion he hasstood a fair chance of losing his life, and has sustained very severeinjury. Not long ago a collar was presented to Bill as a reward forhis services; unfortunately for him, he has since lost this token ofpublic regard--a misfortune much to be regretted. The following versewas engraved on the collar:--

 'I am the fire-escape man's dog: my name is Bill. When 'fire' is called I am never still: I bark for my master, all danger brave, To bring the escape--human life to save. '

Collared or collarless, Bill is always ready to lend a helping bark. May his life be long, and his services properly esteemed!"

The following anecdote shows extraordinary sense, if not reasoningfaculty, in a dog:--

A lady of high rank has a sort of colley, or Scotch sheep-dog. When heis ordered to ring the bell, he does so; but if he is told to ring thebell when the servant is in the room whose duty it is to attend, herefuses, and then the following occurrence takes place. His mistresssays, "Ring the bell, dog. " The dog looks at the servant, and thenbarks his bow wow, once or twice. The order is repeated two or threetimes. At last the dog lays hold of the servant's coat in asignificant manner, just as if he had said to him--"Don't you hearthat I am to ring the bell for you?--come to my lady. " His mistressalways had her shoes warmed before she put them on, but one day duringthe hot weather her maid was putting them on without their having beenpreviously placed before the fire. When the dog saw this heimmediately interfered, expressing the greatest indignation at themaid's negligence. He took the shoes from her, carried them to thefire, and after they had been warmed as usual, he brought them back tohis mistress with much apparent satisfaction, evidently intending tosay, if he could, "It is all right now. "

The dispositions and characters of dogs, as well as theirintelligence, vary very much. Let me give a few instances of this. 

When that benevolent man, Mr. Backhouse, went to Australia, in hopesof doing good among the convicts, he was residing in the house of agentleman who had a son about four years of age. This boy strayed onemorning into the bush, and could not be found after a long search hadbeen made for him. In the evening a little dog, which had accompaniedthe child, scratched at the door, and on its being opened showedunmistakeable signs of wishing to be followed. This was done; and heled the way to the child, who was at last found sitting by the side ofa river three or four miles from the house. 

At Albany in Worcestershire, at the seat of Admiral Maling, a dog wentevery day to meet the mail, and brought the bag in his mouth to thehouse. The distance was about a half-a-quarter of a mile. The dogusually received a meal of meat as his reward. The servants having, on_one day only_, neglected to give him his accustomed meal, the dog onthe arrival of the next mail buried the bag, nor was it found withoutconsiderable search. 

M. D'Obsonville had a dog which he had brought up in India from twomonths old; and having to go with a friend from Pondicherry toBengalore, a distance of more than nine hundred miles, he took theanimal along with him. "Our journey, " says M. D'O. , "occupied nearlythree weeks; and we had to traverse plains and mountains, and to fordrivers, and go along by-paths. The animal, which had certainly neverbeen in that country before, lost us at Bengalore, and immediatelyreturned to Pondicherry. He went directly to the house of my friend, M. Beglier, then commandant of artillery, and with whom I hadgenerally lived. Now the difficulty is not so much to know how the dogsubsisted on the road (for he was very strong, and able to procurehimself food), but how he should so well have found his way after aninterval of more than a month! This was an effort of memory greatlysuperior to that which the human race is capable of exerting. "

A gentleman residing in Denmark, Mr. Decouick, one of the king's privycouncillors, found that he had a remarkable dog. It was the habit ofMr. Decouick to leave Copenhagen on Fridays for Drovengourd, hiscountry seat. If he did not arrive there on the Friday evening, thedog would invariably be found at Copenhagen on Saturday morning, insearch of his master. Hydrophobia becoming common, all dogs were shotthat were found running about, an exception being made in the case ofMr. Decouick's dog on account of his sagacity and fidelity, adistinctive mark being placed upon him. 

The following anecdotes are from Daniel's "Rural Sports:"--

Upon the fidelity of dogs, the following facts deserve to be hererecorded: of this property, or other peculiar traits, if theyappertain to any class of sporting dogs, in that class they will benoticed. 

Dr. Beattie, in one of his ingenious and elegant essays, relates astory, in his own knowledge, of a gentleman's life being saved, whofell beneath the ice, by his dog's going in quest of assistance, andalmost forcibly dragging a farmer to the spot. 

Mr. Vaillant describes the losing of a bitch while travelling inAfrica, when after firing his gun, and fruitlessly searching for her, he despatched one of his attendants, to return by the way they hadproceeded; when she was found at about two leagues' distance, seatedby the side of a chair and basket, which had dropped unperceived fromhis waggon: an instance of attentive fidelity, which must have provedfatal to the animal, either from hunger or beasts of prey, had she notbeen luckily discovered. 

As instances of the dog's sagacity, the following are submitted. Incrossing the mountain St. Gothard, near Airola, the Chevalier Gaspardde Brandenberg and his servant were buried by an avalanche; his dog, who escaped the heap of snow, did not quit the place where he had losthis master: this was, fortunately, not far from the convent; theanimal howled, ran to the convent frequently, and then returned. Struck by his perseverance, the next morning the people from the housefollowed him; he led them directly to the spot, scratched the snow, and after thirty-six hours passed beneath it, the chevalier and hisdomestic were taken out safe, hearing distinctly during theirconfinement the howling of the dog and the discourse of theirdeliverers. Sensible that to the sagacity and fondness of thiscreature he owed his life, the gentleman ordered by his will that heshould be represented on his tomb with his dog; and at Zug, in thechurch of St. Oswald, where he was buried in 1728, they still show themonument and the effigy of this gentleman, with the dog lying at hisfeet. 

In 1792, a gentleman, who lived in Vere Street, Clare Market, wentwith his family to the pit of Drury Lane Theatre, at about half-pastfive in the evening, leaving a small spaniel, of King Charles's breed, locked up in the dining-room, to prevent the dog from being lost inhis absence. At eight o'clock his son opened the door, and the dogimmediately went to the playhouse and found out his master, though thepit was unusually thronged, and his master seated near its centre. 

A large dog of Mr. Hilson's, of Maxwelhaugh, on the 21st of October, 1797, seeing a small one that was following a cart from Kelso carriedby the current of the Tweed, in spite of all its efforts to bear upagainst the stream, after watching its motions attentively, plungedvoluntarily into the river, and seizing the tired animal by the neck, brought it safely to land. 

The docility of the dog is such, that he may be taught to practisewith considerable dexterity a variety of human actions: to open a doorfastened by a latch, and pull a bell when desirous to be admitted. Faber mentions one belonging to a nobleman of the Medici family, whichalways attended at its master's table, took from him his plates, andbrought him others; carried wine to him in a glass upon a salver, which it held in its mouth, without spilling; the same dog would alsohold the stirrup in its teeth while its master was mounting his horse. Mr. Daniel had formerly a spaniel, which he gave the honourable Mr. Greville, that, beyond the common tricks which dogs trained to fetchand carry exhibit, would bring the bottles of wine from the corner ofthe room to the table by the neck, with such care as never to breakone; and, in fact, was the _boots_ of the mess-room. 

Some few years since, the person who lived at the turnpike-house, about a mile from Stratford-upon-Avon, had trained a dog to go to thetown for any small parcels of grocery, &c. Which he wanted. A note, mentioning the things required, was tied round his neck, and in thesame manner the articles were fastened, and arrived safe to hismaster. 

Colonel Hutchinson relates the following anecdote:--

"A cousin of one of my brother-officers was taking a walk at TunbridgeWells, when a strange Newfoundland snatched her parasol from her hand, and carried it off. The lady followed the dog, who kept ahead, constantly looking back to see if she followed. The dog at lengthstopped at a confectioner's, and went in, followed by the lady, who, as the dog would not resign it, applied to the shopman for assistance. He then told her that it was an old trick of the dog's to get a bun, and that if she would give him one he would return the property. Shecheerfully did so, and the dog as willingly made the exchange. "

The above anecdote proves that dogs are no mean observers ofcountenances, and that he had satisfied himself by a previous scrutinyas to the probability of his delinquencies being forgiven. 

Of the abstinence and escape of a dog, the following narrative may notbe uninteresting:--

In 1789, when preparations were making at St. Paul's for the receptionof his majesty, a favourite dog followed its master up the dark stairsof the dome. Here, all at once, it was missing; and calling andwhistling were to no purpose. Nine weeks after this, all but two days, some glaziers were at work in the cathedral, and heard a faint noiseamongst the timbers which support the dome. Thinking it might be someunfortunate human being, they tied a rope round a boy, and let himdown near the place whence the sound came. At the bottom he found adog lying on its side, the skeleton of another dog, and an old shoehalf eaten. The humanity of the boy led him to rescue the animal fromits miserable situation, and it was accordingly drawn up. Muchemaciated, and scarce able to stand, the workmen placed it in theporch of the church, to die or live as it might happen. This was aboutten o'clock in the morning. Some time after, the dog was seenendeavouring to cross the street at the top of Ludgate Hill; but itsweakness was so great, that, unsupported by a wall, it could notaccomplish it. The miserable appearance of the dog again excited thecompassion of a boy, who carried it over. By the aid of the houses itwas enabled to get to Fleet Market, and over two or three narrowcrossings in its way to Holborn Bridge, and about eight o'clock in theevening it reached its master's house in Red Lion Street, Holborn, andlaid itself down on the steps, having been ten hours in its journeyfrom St. Paul's to that place. The dog was so much altered, its eyesbeing so sunk in its head as to be scarce discernible, that the masterwould not encourage his faithful old companion, who when lost wassupposed to weigh twenty pounds, but now only weighed three poundsfourteen ounces. The first indication it gave of knowing its masterwas by wagging its tail when he mentioned its name, Phillis; for along time it was unable to eat or drink, and it was kept alive by thesustenance it received from its mistress, who used to feed it with ateaspoon. At length it recovered. It must not be supposed that thisanimal existed for nine weeks without food; she was in whelp whenlost, and doubtless ate her young. The remains of another dog, killedby a similar fall, were likewise found, and were most probablyconverted by the survivor to the most urgent of all natural purposes;and when this treat was done, the shoe succeeded, which was almosthalf devoured. What famine and a thousand accidents could not do, waseffected a short time after by the wheels of a coach, whichunfortunately went over her, and ended the life of poor Phillis. 

Of dogs that have supported themselves in a wild state, to the greatloss and annoyance of the farmer, there are two instances worthy ofnotice, from the cunning with which both these dogs frustrated, for alength of time, every secret and open attack. In December, 1784, a dogwas left by a smuggling vessel near Boomer, on the coast ofNorthumberland. Finding himself deserted, he began to worry sheep, anddid so much damage that he was the terror of the country, within thecircuit of above twenty miles. It is asserted, that when he caught asheep, he bit a hole in its right side, and after eating the fat aboutthe kidneys, left it. Several of them, thus lacerated, were foundalive by the shepherds; and being properly taken care of, some of themrecovered, and afterwards had lambs. From this delicacy of hisfeeding, the destruction may in some measure be conceived, as the fatof one sheep in a day would scarcely satisfy his hunger. Various werethe means used to destroy him: frequently was he pursued with hounds, greyhounds, &c. , but when the dogs came up with him, he laid down onhis back, as if supplicating for mercy, and in that position theynever hurt him; he therefore laid quietly, taking his rest, until thehunters approached, when he made off without being followed by thehounds, until they were again excited to the pursuit, which alwaysterminated unsuccessfully. He was one day pursued from Howick toupwards of thirty miles' distance, but returned thither and killedsheep the same evening. His constant residence was upon a rock on theHeugh Hill, near Howick, where he had a view of four roads thatapproached it; and there, in March 1785, after many fruitlessattempts, he was at last shot. 

Another wild dog, which had committed similar devastation among thesheep, near Wooler, in the same county (Northumberland), was, on the6th of June, 1799, advertised to be hunted on the Wednesday following, by three packs of hounds, which were to meet at different places; theaid of men and fire-arms was also requested, with a reward promised oftwenty guineas to the person killing him. This dog was described bythose who had seen him at a distance as a large greyhound, with somewhite in his face, neck and one fore-leg white, rather grey on theback, and the rest of a jet-black. An immense concourse of peopleassembled at the time appointed, but the chase was unprosperous; forhe eluded his pursuers among the Cheviot Hills, and, what is singular, returned that same night to the place from whence he had been huntedin the morning, and worried an ewe and her lamb. During the wholesummer he continued to destroy the sheep, but changed his quarters, for he infested the fells, sixteen miles south of Carlisle, whereupwards of sixty sheep fell victims to his ferocity. In September, hounds and firearms were again employed against him, and after a runfrom Carrock Fell, which was computed to be thirty miles, he was shotwhilst the hounds were in pursuit by Mr. Sewel of Wedlock, who laid inambush at Moss Dale. During the chase, which occupied six hours, hefrequently turned upon the headmost hounds, and wounded several sobadly as to disable them. Upon examination, he appeared of theNewfoundland breed, of a common size, wire-haired, and extremely lean. This description does not tally with the dog so injurious to thefarmers in Northumberland, although, from circumstances, there islittle doubt but it was the same animal. 

With a laughably philosophical account of dogs, under the suppositionof a transmigration of souls, and with their general natural historyfrom Linnæus and Buffon, this introductory chapter will be concluded. 

A facetious believer in the art of distinguishing at the sight of anycreature from what class of animals his soul is derived, thus allotsthem:--

The souls of deceased bailiffs and common constables are in thebodies of setting dogs and pointers; the terriers are inhabited bytrading justices; the bloodhounds were formerly a set of informers, thief-takers, and false evidences; the spaniels were heretoforecourtiers, hangers-on of administrations, and hack journal-writers, all of whom preserve their primitive qualities of fawning on theirfeeders, licking their hands, and snarling and snapping at all whooffer to offend their master; a former train of gamblers andblack-legs are now embodied in that species of dog called lurchers;bull-dogs and mastiffs were once butchers and drovers; greyhounds andhounds owe their animation to country squires and foxhunters; littlewhiffling, useless lap-dogs, draw their existence from the quondambeau; macaronies, and gentlemen of the tippy, still being theplaythings of ladies, and used for their diversion. There are also aset of sad dogs derived from attornies; and puppies, who were in pasttime attornies' clerks, shopmen to retail haberdashers, men-milliners, &c. &c. Turnspits are animated by old aldermen, who still enjoy thesmell of the roast meat; that droning, snarling species, styled Dutchpugs, have been fellows of colleges; and that faithful, useful tribeof shepherds' dogs, were, in days of yore, members of parliament, whoguarded the flock, and protected the sheep from wolves and thieves, although indeed of late some have turned sheep-biters, and worriedthose they ought to have defended. 

Linnæus informs us, the dog eats flesh, and farinaceous vegetables, but not greens, (this is a mistake, for they will eat greens whenboiled); its stomach digests bones; it uses the tops of grass as avomit; is fond of rolling in carrion; voids its excrements on a stone;its dung (the _album græcum_) is one of the greatest encouragers ofputrefaction; it laps up its drink with its tongue; makes waterside-ways, by lifting up one of its hind-legs; is most diuretic in thecompany of a strange dog, and very apt to repeat it where another doghas done the same: _Odorat anum alterius, menstruans catulit cumvariis; mordet illa illos; cohæret copula junctus_. Its scent is mostexquisite when its nose is moist; it treads lightly on its toes;scarce ever sweats, but when hot, lolls out its tongue; generallywalks frequently round the place it intends to lie down on; its senseof hearing is very quick when asleep; it dreams. It goes with youngsixty-three days, and commonly brings from four to ten; the malepuppies resemble the dog, the female the bitch (an assertion by nomeans accurate, any more than the tail always bending to the left is acommon character of the species). It is the most faithful of animals, is very docile, fawns at his master's approach, runs before him on ajourney, often passing over the same ground; on coming to crossways, stops and looks back; drives cattle home from the field; keeps herdsand flocks within bounds, protects them from wild beasts; points outto the sportsman the game; brings the birds that are shot to itsmaster; will turn a spit; at Brussels, and in Holland, draws littlecarts to the herb-market; in more northern regions, draws sledges withprovisions, travellers, &c. ; will find out what is dropped; watchfulby night, and when the charge of a house or garden is at such timescommitted to him, his boldness increases, and he sometimes becomesperfectly ferocious; when it has been guilty of a theft, slinks awaywith its tail between its legs; eats voraciously, with oblique eyes;enemy to beggars; attacks strangers without provocation; hates strangedogs; howls at certain notes in music, and often urines on hearingthem; will snap at a stone thrown at it; is sick at the approach ofbad weather, (a remark vague and uncertain); is afflicted with worms;spreads its madness; grows blind with age; _sæpe gonorrhæâ infectus_;driven as unclean from the houses of the Mahometans; yet the samepeople establish hospitals for, and allow them daily food. 

The dog, says Buffon, like every other animal which produces above oneor two at a time, is not perfectly formed immediately after birth. Dogs are always brought forth blind; the two eyelids are not simplyglued together, but shut up with a membrane, which is torn off, assoon as the muscles of the upper eyelids acquire strength sufficientto overcome this obstacle to vision, which generally happens the tenthor twelfth day. At this period, the bones of the head are notcompleted, the body and muzzle are bloated, and the whole figure isill defined; but in less than two months, they learn to use all theirsenses; their growth is rapid, and they soon gain strength. In thefourth month, they lose some of their teeth, which, as in otheranimals, are soon replaced, and never again fall out: they have sixcutting and two canine teeth in each jaw, and fourteen grinders in theupper, and twelve in the under, making in all forty-two teeth; but thenumber of grinders sometimes varies in particular dogs. 

The time of gestation is nine weeks, or sixty-three days; sometimessixty-two or sixty-one, but never less than sixty. 

The bitch produces six, seven, and even so far as twelve puppies, andgenerally has more at the subsequent litters than she has at thefirst; but the observation of Buffon, that a female hound, covered bya dog of her own kind, and carefully shut up from all others, has beenknown to produce a mixed race, consisting of hounds and terriers, istotally void of foundation. A curious circumstance, in the account ofthe setter, will be mentioned, of an impression made upon the mind ofa bitch of that sort by the attention of a cur, which never had accessto her, and yet her whelps were always like him, and possibly thishound bitch had a violent hankering after some terrier. 

Dogs continue to propagate during life, which is commonly limited tofourteen or fifteen years, yet some have been known to exceed twenty, but that is rare. The duration of life in this, as in other animals, bears proportion to the time of his growth, which in the dog is notcompleted in less than two years, and he generally lives fourteen. Hisage may be discovered by his teeth; when young, they are white, sharp, and pointed; as he increases in years, they become black, blunt, andunequal: it may likewise be known by the hair, which turns grey on themuzzle, front, and round the eyes. 

The manner in which the shepherds of the Pyrenees employ theirpeculiar breed of dogs, which are large, long-haired, of a tawny whitecolour, and a very strong build, with a ferocious temper, exhibits avivid instance of the trust they repose in the courage and fidelity ofthese animals, and of the virtues by which they merit and reward it. Attended by three or more dogs, the shepherds will take their numerousflocks at early dawn to the part of the mountain side which isdestined for their pasture. Having counted them, they descend tofollow other occupations, and commit the guardianship of the sheep tothe sole watchfulness of the dogs. It has been frequently known, thatwhen wolves have approached, the three sentinels would walk round andround the flock, gradually compressing them into so small a circlethat one dog might with ease overlook and protect them, and that thismeasure of caution being executed, the remaining two would set forthto engage the enemy, over whom, it is said, they invariably triumph. 

The following interesting remarks are extracted from Chambers:--

The educability of the dog's perceptive faculties has been exemplifiedin a remarkable manner by his acquired knowledge of musical sounds. Onsome dogs fine music produces an apparently painful effect, causingthem gradually to become restless, to moan piteously, and, finally, tofly from the spot with every sign of suffering and distress. Othershave been seen to sit and listen to music with seeming delight, andeven to go every Sunday to church, with the obvious purpose ofenjoying the solemn and powerful strains of the organ. Some dogsmanifest a keen sense of false notes in music. Mrs. Samuel CarterHall, at Old Brompton, possesses an Italian greyhound, which screamsin apparent agony when a jarring combination of notes is produced, accidentally or intentionally, on the piano. These opposite andvarious manifestations show what might be done by education to teachdogs a critical knowledge of sounds. A gentleman of Darmstadt, inGermany, as we learn, has taught a poodle dog to detect false notes inmusic. We give the account of this remarkable instance of educabilityas it appears in a French newspaper. 

Mr. S----, having acquired a competency by commercial industry, retired from business, and devoted himself, heart and soul, to thecultivation and enjoyment of music. Every member of his littlehousehold was by degrees involved more or less in the same occupation, and even the housemaid could in time bear a part in a chorus, ordecipher a melody of Schubert. One individual alone in the familyseemed to resist this musical entrancement; this was a small spaniel, the sole specimen of the canine race in the mansion. Mr. S---- feltthe impossibility of instilling the theory of sounds into the head ofPoodle, but he firmly resolved to make the animal bear _some_ part orother in the general domestic concert; and by perseverance, and theadoption of ingenious means, he attained his object. Every time that a_false note_ escaped either from the instrument or voice--as often asany blunder, of whatever kind, was committed by the members of themusical family (and such blunders were sometimes committedintentionally)--down came its master's cane on the back of theunfortunate poodle, till she howled and growled again. Poodleperceived the meaning of these unkind chastisements, and instead ofbecoming sulky, showed every disposition to howl on the instant afalse note was uttered, without waiting for the formality of a blow. By and by, a mere glance of Mr. S----'s eye was sufficient to make theanimal howl to admiration. In the end, Poodle became so thoroughlyacquainted with, and attentive to, false notes and other musicalbarbarisms, that the slightest mistake of the kind was infalliblysignalised by a yell from her, forming the most expressive commentaryupon the misperformance. 

When extended trials were made of the animal's acquirements, they werenever found to fail, and Poodle became, what she still is, the mostfamous, impartial, and conscientious connoisseur in the Duchy ofHesse. But, as may be imagined, her musical appreciation is entirelynegative; if you sing with expression, and play with ability, she willremain cold and impassible. But let your execution exhibit theslightest defect, and you will have her instantly showing her teeth, whisking her tail, yelping, barking, and growling. At the presenttime, there is not a concert or an opera at Darmstadt to which Mr. S---- and his wonderful dog are not invited; or, at least, _the dog_. The voice of the prima donna, the instruments of the band--whetherviolin, clarionet, hautbois, or bugle--all of them must execute theirparts in perfect harmony, otherwise Poodle looks at its master, erectsits ears, shows its grinders, and howls outright. Old or new pieces, known or unknown to the dog, produce on it the same effect. 

It must not be supposed that the discrimination of the creature isconfined to the mere _execution_ of musical compositions. Whatever mayhave been the case at the outset of its training, its present andperfected intelligence extends even to the secrets of composition. Thus, if a vicious modulation, or a false relation of parts, occur ina piece of music, the animal shows symptoms of uneasy hesitation; andif the error be continued, will infallibly give the grand condemnatoryhowl. In short, Poodle is the terror of all the middling composers ofDarmstadt, and a perfect nightmare to the imagination of all poorsingers and players. Sometimes Mr. S---- and his friends take apleasure in annoying the canine critic, by emitting all sorts ofdiscordant sounds from instrument and voice. On such occasions thecreature loses all self-command, its eyes shoot forth fiery flashes, and long and frightful howls respond to the immelodious concert of themischievous bipeds. But the latter must be careful not to go too far;for when the dog's patience is tried to excess, it becomes altogetherwild, and flies fiercely at the tormentors and their instruments. 

This dog's case is a very curious one, and the attendant phenomena notvery easy of explanation. From the animal's power of discerning thecorrectness of musical composition, as well as of execution, one wouldbe inclined to imagine that Mr. S----, in training his dog, had onlycalled into play faculties existing (but latent) before, and that dogshave in them the natural germs of a fine musical ear. This seems morelikely to be the case, than that the animal's perfect musical tastewas wholly an acquirement, resulting from the training. However thismay be, the Darmstadt dog is certainly a marvellous creature, and weare surprised that, in these exhibiting times, its powers have notbeen displayed on a wider stage. The operatic establishments of Londonand Paris might be greatly the better, perhaps, for a visit from thecritical Poodle. 

It is now settled, as a philosophical question, that the instructioncommunicated to dogs, as well as various other animals, has anhereditary effect on the progeny. If a dog be taught to performcertain feats, the young of that dog will be much easier initiated inthe same feats than other dogs. Thus, the existing races of Englishpointers are greatly more accomplished in their required duties thanthe original race of Spanish pointers. Dogs of the St. Bernard varietyinherit the faculty of tracking footsteps in the snow. A gentleman ofour acquaintance, and of scientific acquirements, obtained some yearsago a pup, which had been produced in London by a female of thecelebrated St. Bernard breed. The young animal was brought toScotland, where it was never observed to give any particular tokens ofa power of tracking footsteps until winter, when the ground becamecovered with snow. It _then_ showed the most active inclination tofollow footsteps; and so great was its power of doing so under thesecircumstances, that, when its master had crossed a field in the mostcurvilinear way, and caused other persons to cross his path in alldirections, it nevertheless followed his course with the greatestprecision. Here was a perfect revival of the habit of its Alpinefathers, with a degree of specialty as to external conditions atwhich, it seems to us, we cannot sufficiently wonder. 

Such are some of the qualities of dogs in a state of domestication, and let me hope that the anecdotes related of them will tend to insurefor them that love and gratitude to which their own fine dispositionand noble character give them a claim from us. 

It is pleasing to observe that men of the highest acquirements andmost elevated minds have bestowed their sincere attachment upon theirfavourite canine companions; for kindness to animals is, perhaps, asstrong an indication of the possession of generous sentiments as anythat can be adduced. The late Lord Grenville, a distinguishedstatesman, an elegant scholar, and an amiable man, affords anillustration of the opinion: It is thus that he eloquently makes hisfavourite Zephyr speak:--

 "Captum oculis, senioque hebetem, morboque gravatum, Dulcis here, antiquo me quod amore foves, Suave habet et carum Zephyrus tuus, et leviore Se sentit mortis conditione premi. Interiêre quidem, tibi quæ placuisse solebant, Et formæ dotes, et facile ingenium: Deficiunt sensus, tremulæ scintillula vitæ Vix micat, in cinerem mox abitura brevem. Sola manet, vetuli tibi nec despecta ministri, Mens grata, ipsaque in morte memor domini. Hanc tu igitur, pro blanditiis mollique lepore, Et prompta ad nutus sedulitate tuos, Pro saltu cursuque levi, lusuque protervo, Hanc nostri extremum pignus amoris habe. Jamque vale! Elysii subeo loca læta, piorum Quæ dat Persephone manibus esse canum. "

In the previous pages I have endeavoured to give my readers some ideaof the general character of the dog, and I will now proceed toillustrate it more fully by anecdotes peculiar to different breeds. These animals will then be found to deserve the encomiums bestowedupon them by Buffon, "as possessing such an ardour of sentiment, withfidelity and constancy in their affection, that neither ambition, interest, nor desire of revenge, can corrupt them, and that they haveno fear but that of displeasing. They are, in fact, all zeal, ardour, and obedience. More inclined to remember benefits than injuries; moredocile and tractable than any other animal, the dog is not onlyinstructed, but conforms himself to the manners, movements, and habitsof those who govern him. He is always eager to obey his master, andwill defend his property at the risk of his own life. " Pope says, thathistory is more full of examples of fidelity in the dog than infriends; and Lord Byron characterises him as--

 "in life the firmest friend, The first to welcome, foremost to defend; Whose honest heart is still his master's own; Who labours, fights, lives, breathes for him alone;"

and truly indeed may he be called

 "The rich man's guardian, and the poor man's friend. "

[Illustration]

[Illustration: DEER-HOUNDS. ]

 "His bulk and beauty speak no vulgar praise. 

 * * * *

 Oh had you seen him, vigorous, bold, and young, Swift as a stag, and as a lion strong; Him no fell savage in the plain withstood, None 'scap'd him, bosomed in the gloomy wood; His eye how piercing!" POPE. 

THE IRISH AND HIGHLAND WOLF-DOG. 

A certain degree of romance will always be attached to the history ofthe Irish wolf-dog, but so contradictory are the accounts handed downto us respecting it, that, with every disposition to do justice tothe character of this noble animal, the task is one of no smalldifficulty. 

This dog seems to have flourished, and to have become nearly extinct, with the ancient kings of Ireland, and, with the harp and shamrock, isregarded as one of the national emblems of that country. When princelyhospitality was to be found in the old palaces, castles, and baronialhalls of fair Erin, it is hardly possible to imagine anything morearistocratic and imposing than the aspect of these dogs, whileattending the banquets of their masters. So great, indeed, was theirheight, that it has been affirmed, that when their chieftain wasseated at table these dogs could rest their heads on his shoulders. However this may have been, it is certain that the bold, majestic, andcommanding appearance of the animal, joined to the mild and softenedlook with which he regarded those to whom he was attached, and whom hewas always ready to defend, must have rendered him worthy of theenthusiasm with which the remembrance of him is still cherished by thewarm-hearted people of Ireland. 

The following anecdote, which has been communicated to me by anamiable Irish nobleman, will at all events serve to show the peculiarinstinct which the Irish wolf-dog was supposed to possess. 

A gentleman of an ancient family, whose name it is unnecessary tomention, from his having been engaged in the troubles which agitatedIreland about fifty or sixty years since, went into a coffee-room atDublin during that period, accompanied by a noble wolf-dog, supposedto be one of the last of the breed. There was only one other gentlemanin the coffee-room, who, on seeing the dog, went up to him, and beganto notice him. His owner, in considerable alarm, begged him to desist, as the dog was fierce, and would never allow a stranger to touch him. The gentleman resumed his seat, when the dog came to him, showed thegreatest pleasure at being noticed, and allowed himself to be fondled. His owner could not disguise his astonishment. "You are the onlyperson, " he said, "whom that dog would ever allow to touch him withoutshowing resentment. May I beg of you the favour to tell me yourname?"--mentioning his own at the same time. The stranger announcedit, (he was the last of his race, one of the most ancient and noble inIreland, and descended from one of its kings. ) "I do not wonder, " saidthe owner of the dog, "at the homage this animal has paid to you. Herecognizes in you the descendant of one of our most ancient race ofgentlemen to whom this breed of dogs almost exclusively belonged, andthe peculiar instinct he possesses has now been shown in a mannerwhich cannot be mistaken by me, who am so well acquainted with theferocity this dog has hitherto shown to all strangers. "

Few persons, Sir Walter Scott excepted, would perhaps be inclined togive credit to this anecdote. So convinced was he of the extraordinaryinstinct exhibited by dogs generally, that he has been heard todeclare that he would believe anything of a dog. The anecdote, however, above related, was communicated to me with the strongestassurance of its strict accuracy. 

In a poem, written by Mrs. Catherine Philips, about the year 1660, thecharacter of the Irish wolf-hound is well portrayed, and proves theestimation in which he was held at that period. 

 "Behold this creature's form and state! Him Nature surely did create, That to the world might be exprest What mien there can be in a beast; More nobleness of form and mind Than in the lion we can find: Yea, this heroic beast doth seem In majesty to rival him. 

 Yet he vouchsafes to man to show His service, and submission too-- And here we a distinction have; That brute is fierce--the dog is brave. 

 He hath himself so well subdued, That hunger cannot make him rude; And all his manners do confess That courage dwells with gentleness. 

 War with the wolf he loves to wage, And never quits if he engage; But praise him much, and you may chance To put him out of countenance. And having done a deed so brave, He looks not sullen, yet looks grave. 

 No fondling play-fellow is he; His master's guard he wills to be: Willing for him his blood be spent, His look is never insolent. Few men to do such noble deeds have learn'd, Nor having done, could look so unconcern'd. "

This is one of the finest descriptions of a noble dog which I have yetmet with in English poetry. Courage and modesty are well portrayed, and contrasted. 

The following anecdotes relate to an animal which must have stronglyresembled the Irish wolf-dog:--

Plutarch mentions a certain Roman in the civil wars, whose head nobodydurst cut off for fear of the dog that guarded his body, and fought inhis defence. The same author relates that King Pyrrhus, in the courseof one of his journies, observed a dog watching over a dead body; andhearing that he had been there three days without meat or drink, ordered the body to be buried, and the dog taken care of and broughtto him. A few days afterwards there was a muster of the soldiers, sothat every man had to march in order before the king. The dog layquiet for some time; but when he saw the murderers of his late masterpass by, he flew upon them with extraordinary fury, barking, andtearing their garments, and frequently turning about to the king;which both excited the king's suspicion, and that of all who stoodabout him. The men were in consequence apprehended, and though thecircumstances which appeared in evidence against them were veryslight, they confessed the crime, and were accordingly punished. 

Montfaucon mentions a similar case of attachment and revenge whichoccurred in France, in the reign of Charles V. [E] The anecdote hasbeen frequently related, and is as follows:--A gentleman namedMacaire, an officer of the king's body-guard, entertained, for somereason, a bitter hatred against another gentleman, named Aubry deMontdidier, his comrade in service. These two having met in the Forestof Bondi, near Paris, Macaire took an opportunity of treacherouslymurdering his brother-officer, and buried him in a ditch. Montdidierwas unaccompanied at the moment, excepting by a dog (probably awolf-hound), with which he had gone out, perhaps to hunt. It is notknown whether the dog was muzzled, or from what other cause itpermitted the deed to be accomplished without its interference. Bethis as it might, the hound lay down on the grave of its master, andthere remained till hunger compelled it to rise. It then went to thekitchen of one of Aubry de Montdidier's dearest friends, where it waswelcomed warmly, and fed. As soon as its hunger was appeased the dogdisappeared. For several days this coming and going was repeated, tillat last the curiosity of those who saw its movements was excited, andit was resolved to follow the animal, and see if anything could belearned in explanation of Montdidier's sudden disappearance. The dogwas accordingly followed, and was seen to come to a pause on somenewly-turned-up earth, where it set up the most mournful wailings andhowlings. These cries were so touching, that passengers wereattracted; and finally digging into the ground at the spot, they foundthere the body of Aubry de Montdidier. It was raised and conveyed toParis, where it was soon afterwards interred in one of the citycemeteries. 

The dog attached itself from this time forth to the friend, alreadymentioned, of its late master. While attending on him, it chancedseveral times to get a sight of Macaire, and on every occasion itsprang upon him, and would have strangled him had it not been takenoff by force. This intensity of hate on the part of the animalawakened a suspicion that Macaire had had some share in Montdidier'smurder, for his body showed him to have met a violent death. CharlesV. , on being informed of the circumstances, wished to satisfy himselfof their truth. He caused Macaire and the dog to be brought beforehim, and beheld the animal again spring upon the object of its hatred. The king interrogated Macaire closely, but the latter would not admitthat he had been in any way connected with Montdidier's murder. 

Being strongly impressed by a conviction that the conduct of the dogwas based on some guilty act of Macaire, the king ordered a combat totake place between the officer and his dumb accuser, according to thepractice in those days between human plaintiffs and defendants. Thisremarkable combat took place on the isle of Notre Dame at Paris, inpresence of the whole court. The king allowed Macaire to have a strongclub, as a defensive weapon; while, on the other hand, the onlyself-preservative means allowed to the dog consisted of an empty cask, into which it could retreat if hard pressed. The combatants appearedin the lists. The dog seemed perfectly aware of its situation andduty. For a short time it leapt actively round Macaire, and then, atone spring, it fastened itself upon his throat, in so firm a mannerthat he could not disentangle himself. He would have been strangledhad he not cried for mercy, and avowed his crime. The dog was pulledfrom off him; but he was only liberated from its fangs to perish bythe hands of the law. The fidelity of this dog has been celebrated inmany a drama and poem, and there is a monument of him in basso relievostill to be seen in the castle of Montargis. The dog which attractedsuch celebrity has been usually called 'the dog of Montargis, ' fromthe combat having taken place at the château of that name. 

The strength of these dogs must have been very great. A noblemaninformed me, that when he was a boy, and staying on a visit with theKnight of Kerry, two Irish wolf-dogs made their escape from the placein which they were confined, and pulled down and killed a horse, whichwas in an adjoining paddock. 

The following affecting anecdote of an Irish wolf-dog, called "the dogof Aughrim, " affords a proof of the extraordinary fidelity of theseanimals to their masters, and puts to shame the vaunted superiority ofmany human brutes. 

At the hard-fought battle of Aughrim, or Vidconnel, an Irish officerwas accompanied by his wolf-hound. This gentleman was killed andstripped in the battle, but the dog remained by his body both by dayand night. He fed upon some of the other bodies with the rest of thedogs, yet he would not allow them or anything else to touch that ofhis master. When all the other bodies were consumed, the other dogsdeparted, but this used to go in the night to the adjacent villagesfor food, and presently to return again to the place where hismaster's bones were only then left. This he continued to do from July, when the battle was fought, until the January following, when asoldier being quartered near, and going that way by chance, the dog, fearing he came to disturb his master's bones, flew upon the soldier, who, being surprised at the suddenness of the thing, unslung hiscarbine, he having been thrown on his back, and killed the nobleanimal. He expired with the same fidelity to the remains of hisunfortunate master, as that master had shown devotion to the cause ofhis unhappy country. 

In the "Irish Penny Journal" there is an interesting account of theIrish wolf-dog, from which the following anecdote is taken. 

In the mountainous parts of the county Tyrone, the inhabitantssuffered much from the wolves, and gave from the public fund as muchfor the head of one of these animals, as they would now give for thecapture of a notorious robber on the highway. There lived in thosedays an adventurer, who, alone and unassisted, made it his occupationto destroy these ravagers. The time for attacking them was in thenight, and midnight was fixed upon for doing so, as that was theirwonted time for leaving their lairs in search of food, when thecountry was at rest and all was still; then, issuing forth, they fellon their defenceless prey, and the carnage commenced. There was aspecies of dog for the purpose of hunting them, called the wolf-dog;the animal resembled a rough, stout, half-bred greyhound, but was muchstronger. In the county Tyrone there was then a large space of groundenclosed by a high stone wall, having a gap at each of the twoopposite extremities, and in this were secured the flocks of thesurrounding farmers. But, secure as this fold was deemed, it was oftenentered by the wolves, and its inmates slaughtered. The neighbouringproprietors having heard of the noted wolf-hunter above mentioned, byname Rory Carragh, sent for him, and offered the usual reward, withsome addition, if he would undertake to destroy the two remainingwolves that had committed such devastation. Carragh, undertaking thetask, took with him two wolf-dogs, and a little boy twelve years ofage, the only person who would accompany him, and repaired at theapproach of midnight to the fold in question. "Now, " said Carragh tothe boy, "as the two wolves usually enter the opposite extremities ofthe sheep-fold at the same time, I must leave you and one of the dogsto guard this one while I go the other. He steals with all the cautionof a cat, nor will you hear him, but the dog will, and will give himthe first fall. If, therefore, you are not active when he is down torivet his neck to the ground with this spear, he will rise up and killboth you and the dog. So good night. "

"I'll do what I can, " said the little boy, as he took the spear fromthe wolf-hunter's hand. 

The boy immediately threw open the gate of the fold, and took his seatin the inner part, close to the entrance, his faithful companioncrouching at his side, and seeming perfectly aware of the dangerousbusiness he was engaged in. The night was very dark and cold, and thepoor little boy, being benumbed with the chilly air, was beginning tofall into a kind of sleep, when at that instant the dog, with a roar, leaped across, and laid his mortal enemy upon the earth. The boy wasroused into double activity by the voice of his companion, and drovethe spear through the wolf's neck as he had been directed, at whichtime Carragh appeared, bearing the head of the other. 

This anecdote is taken from a biography of a Tyrone family, publishedin Belfast in 1829. 

It is now time to attempt a description of this celebrated dog, andhere our difficulties commence. Some writers have affirmed that it wasrough-coated, and had the appearance of a greyhound--

 "The greyhound! the great hound! the graceful of limb! Rough fellow! tall fellow! &c. ;"

while others assert that it was of a mastiff-like appearance, andsmooth, strong, and tall. All we can do is to bring forward thedifferent evidence we have been able to collect, and then to let ourreaders judge for themselves. 

In an old print of Patrick Sarsfield, Earl of Lucan, there are twowolf-dogs, which are represented as smooth, prick-eared, and withsomewhat bushy tails. Lord Lucan distinguished himself in severalengagements, and commanded the second troop of Irish Horse Guards, towhich he was appointed by James II. , and received his death wound, behaving most gallantly at the head of his countrymen, in 1693, whenthe allies, under William III. , were defeated by Marshal Luxembourg atthe battle of Landen. He was probably attended by his faithfulwolf-dogs on that occasion, when he uttered those sublime words whichno Irishman will ever forget--"Oh that this was for Ireland!" thusshowing his love and affection for his native country as he wasexpiring in the arms of victory. 

An old and amiable acquaintance, Mr. Aylmer Bourke Lambert, now, alas!no more, communicated an account of the wolf-hound to the LinneanSociety, which may be found in the third volume of their"Transactions. " He had in his possession an old picture of one ofthese dogs, which, at the sale of his effects, was purchased by theEarl of Derby; the dog is represented as smooth-haired, with asomewhat wide forehead, and having no appearance of the greyhound, butmore of that of the mastiff. 

In February, 1841, Mr. Webber presented to the Royal Irish Academy anancient stone, on which was carved a rude bas-relief, supposed to bethe representation of a dog killing a wolf. Mr. Webber accompanied thepresent with a communication, to the effect that the stone was takenfrom the castle of Ardnaglass, in the barony of Tireragh, and countyof Sligo, and was said to commemorate the destruction of the last wolfin Ireland. The current tradition in the place from whence it camewas, that some years after it was supposed that the race of wolves wasextinct, the flocks in the county of Leitrim were attacked by a wildanimal, which turned out to be a wolf; that thereupon the chieftainsof Leitrim applied to O'Dowd, the chieftain of Tireragh (who possesseda celebrated dog of the breed of the ancient Irish wolf-dog), to comeand hunt the wolf. This application having been complied with byO'Dowd, there ensued a chase, which forms the subject of an ancientIrish legend, detailing the various districts through which it waspursued, until at length the wolf was overtaken and killed in a smallwood of pine-trees, at the foot of one of the mountains of Tireragh. The quarter of land on which the wolf was killed is to this day called_Carrow na Madhoo_, which means "the dog's quarter. " In commemorationof the event, O'Dowd had a representation of it carved on stone, andplaced in the wall of his baronial residence. It is difficult to forman opinion of the shape of a dog from so rude a representation, exceptthat it appears to have had a wide forehead and pricked ears. 

A gentleman, who in his youth saw one of these dogs, informs me thatit was smooth, strong, and partaking somewhat of the character andappearance of a powerful Danish dog. This agrees with the accountgiven of it by some writers, especially in "The Sportsman's Cabinet, "a work more remarkable for the truth and fineness of its engravings, than for the matter contained in it. Buffon also forms much the sameopinion. That great strength must be necessary to enable a dog tocompete with a wolf, cannot be doubted, and perhaps there is no breedof the rough greyhound now known capable of competing with a wolfsingle-handed. Her Majesty has now in her possession one of the finestspecimens of the Highland deer-hound. He has great strength andheight, is rough-coated, wide across the loins, and altogether a nobleanimal. Powerful, however as he is, it may be questioned whether sucha dog would be a match for a wolf, which the Irish hounds undoubtedlywere. This circumstance alone would lead us to suppose, that we mustlook to a different breed than that of greyhounds as the antagonistsof the wolf. 

But it is time to turn to the other side of the question. 

In a very agreeable, well-written article in the "Irish Penny Journal"of May, 1841, the author brings forward strong evidence to prove thatthe celebrated Irish wolf-dog resembled a greyhound in form. He will, I hope, allow me to quote some of his arguments, which showconsiderable research and historical information. He says:--

"Public opinion has long been divided respecting the preciseappearance and form of this majestic animal, and so many differentideas have been conceived of him, that many persons have been inducedto come to the conclusion that no particular breed of dogs was everkept for wolf-hunting in Ireland, but that the appellation of'wolf-dog' was bestowed upon any dog swift enough to overtake andpowerful enough to contend with and overcome that formidable animal. While some hold this opinion, others suppose that though a particularbreed was used, it was a sort of heavy mastiff-like dog, now extinct. It is the object of the present paper to show, that not only didIreland possess a peculiar race of dogs, exclusively devoted towolf-hunting, but that those dogs, instead of being of the mastiffkind, resembled the greyhound in form; and instead of being extinctare still to be met with, although they are very scarce. I myself wasonce in a very gross error respecting this dog, for I conceived himto have been a mastiff, and implicitly believed that the dogs of LordAltamont, described in the third volume of the Linnean 'Transactions'by Mr. Lambert, were the sole surviving representatives of the Irishwolf-dog. An able paper, read by Mr. Haffield about a year ago, beforethe Dublin Natural History Society, served to stagger me in my belief, and subsequent careful inquiry and research have completed myconversion. I proceed to lay before my readers the result of thatinquiry, and I feel confident that no individual, after reading theevidence which I shall adduce, will continue to harbour a doubtrespecting the true appearance and form of the ancient Irish wolf-dog. 

"We are informed by several disjointed scraps of Celtic verse, that inthe times of old, when Fionn Mac Cumhaill, popularly styled Finn MacCool, wielded the sceptre of power and justice, we possessed aprodigious and courageous dog, used for hunting the deer and wildboar, and also the wolf, which ravaged the folds and slaughtered theherds of our ancestors. We learn from the same source that these dogswere also frequently employed as auxiliaries in war, and that theywere 'mighty in combat, their breasts like plates of brass, andgreatly to be feared. ' We might adduce the songs of Ossian, where theepithets 'hairy-footed, ' 'white-breasted, ' and 'bounding, ' aresingularly characteristic of some of the striking peculiarities of thedog in question, and strangely coincide with the descriptionsfurnished by other writers respecting him. Mac Pherson must, at allevents, have been at the pains of considerable research if he actuallyforged the beautiful poems, which he put forth to the world underOssian's name. The word 'Bran, ' the name given to Fingal's noblehound, employed by others than Ossian, is Celtic, and signifies'Mountain Torrent, ' implying that impetuosity of course and headlongcourage which the dog possessed. I have said that many assert theIrish wolf-dog to be no longer in existence. I have ventured a denialof this, and refer to the wolf-dog or deer-dog of the Highlands ofScotland, as his actual and faithful living representative. Perhaps Iam wrong in saying representative. I hold that the Irish wolf-dog andthe Highland deer-dog are one and the same, and I now proceed to citea few authorities in support of my position. 

"The Venerable Bede, as well as the Scotch historian John Major, informs us that Scotland was originally peopled from Ireland under theconduct of Renda, and that one half of Scotland spoke the Irishlanguage as their mother-tongue. Many persons, also, are doubtlessaware that, even at this present time, the Gaelic and Erse are so muchalike, that a Connaught man finds no difficulty in comprehending andconversing with a Highlander. Scotland also was called by the earlywriters Scotia Minor, and Ireland, Scotia Major. The colonization, therefore, of Scotland from Ireland admits of little doubt. As theIrish wolf-dog was at that time in the enjoyment of his most extendedfame, it was not to be expected that the colonists would omit takingwith them such a fine description of dog, and which would prove souseful to them in a newly established settlement, and that, too, at aperiod when hunting was not merely an amusement, but one of their mainoccupations, and also their main source of subsistence. The Irishwolf-dog was thus carried into Scotland, and became the Highland orScottish wolf-dog, changing in process of time his name with hiscountry; and when wolves disappeared from the land, his occupation wasthat of deer-hunting, and thus his present name. 

"In Ireland the wolves were in existence longer than in Scotland, butas soon as wolves ceased to exist in the former country, the dogs weresuffered to become extinct also, while in Scotland there was stillabundant employment for them after the days of wolf-hunting wereover--the deer still remained; and useful as they had been aswolf-dogs, they proved themselves, if possible, still more so asdeer-hounds. 

"That the Irish wolf-dog was a tall, rough greyhound, similar in everyrespect to the Highland dog of the present day (of which an engravingis given) cannot be doubted from the following authorities. Strabomentions a tall greyhound in use among the Pictish and Celtic nations, which he states was held in high esteem by our ancestors, and was evenimported into Gaul for the purposes of the chase. Campion expresslyspeaks of the Irish wolf-dog as a 'greyhound of great bone and limb. 'Silaus calls it also a greyhound, and asserts that it was importedinto Ireland by the Belgæ, and is the same with the renowned Belgicdog of antiquity, and that it was, during the days of Roman grandeur, brought to Rome for the combats of the Amphitheatre. Pliny relates acombat in which the Irish wolf-dog took a part: he calls them 'CanesGraii Hibernici, ' and describes them as much taller than the mastiff. Holinshed, in speaking of the Irish, says, 'They are not withoutwolves, and greyhounds to hunt them. ' Evelyn, speaking of thebear-garden, says, 'The bull-dogs did exceeding well, but the Irishwolf-dog exceeded; which was a tall greyhound, a stately creature, andbeat a cruel mastiff. '

"Llewellyn, prince of Wales, was presented by King John with aspecimen of this kind of dog. These animals were in those dayspermitted to be kept only by princes and chiefs; and in the Welsh lawsof the ninth century we find heavy penalties laid down for the maimingor injuring of the Irish greyhound, or, as it was styled in the codealluded to, 'Canis Graius Hibernicus;' and a value was set on them, equal to more than double that set on the ordinary greyhound. 

"Moryson, secretary to Lord-deputy Mountjoy, says, 'The Irishmen andgreyhounds are of great stature. ' Lombard remarks, that the finesthunting dogs in Europe were produced in Ireland: 'Greyhounds useful totake the stag, wild boar, or wolf. ' Pennant describes these dogs asscarce, and as being led to the chase in leather slips or thongs, andcalls them 'the Irish greyhound. ' Bay mentions him as the greatest doghe had ever seen. Buffon says, he saw an Irish greyhound, whichmeasured five feet in height when in a sitting posture, and says thatall other sorts of greyhounds are descended from him, and that inScotland it is called the Highland greyhound: that it is very large, deep-chested, and covered with long rough hair. 

"Scottish noblemen were not always content with such specimens of thisdog as their own country produced, but frequently sent for them toIreland, conceiving, doubtless, that they would be found better andpurer in their native land. The following is a copy of a letteraddressed by Deputy Falkland to the Earl of Cork, in 1623:--

 'My Lord, 'I have lately received letters from my Lord Duke of Buccleuch and others of my noble friends, who have entreated me to send them some greyhound dogs and bitches, out of this kingdom, of the largest sort, which I perceive they intend to present unto divers princes and other noble persons; and if you can possibly, let them be white, which is the colour most in request here. Expecting your answer by the bearer, I commit you to the protection of the Almighty, and am your Lordship's attached friend, 'FALKLAND. '

"Smith, in his 'History of Waterford, ' says, 'the Irish greyhound isnearly extinct: it is much taller than a mastiff, but more like agreyhound, and for size, strength, and shape, cannot be equalled. Roderick, king of Connaught, was obliged to furnish hawks andgreyhounds to Henry II. Sir Thomas Rue obtained great favour from theGreat Mogul in 1615, for a brace of Irish greyhounds presented by him. Henry VIII. Presented the Marquis of Dessarages, a Spanish grandee, with two goshawks and four Irish greyhounds. '

"Perhaps sufficient evidence has now been adduced to demonstrate theidentity of the Irish wolf-dog with the Highland deer-hound. I may, however, in conclusion, give an extract from the excellent paper ofMr. Haffield, already alluded to, as having been read before theDublin Natural History Society, and which was received by thatgentleman from Sir William Betham, Ulster King-at-Arms, an authorityof very high importance on any subject connected with Irishantiquities. Sir William says, --'From the mention of the wolf-dogs inthe old Irish poems and stories, and also from what I have heard froma very old person, long since dead, of his having seen them at 'TheNeale, ' in the county of Mayo, the seat of Sir John Browne, ancestorto Lord Kilmaine, I have no doubt they were a gigantic greyhound. Mydeparted friend described them as being very gentle, and says that SirJohn Browne allowed them to come into his dining-room, where they puttheir heads over the shoulders of those who sat at table. They werenot smooth-skinned, like our greyhounds, but rough and curly-haired. The Irish poets call the wolf-dog 'Cu, ' and the common greyhound'Gayer;' a marked distinction, the word 'Cu' signifying a champion. '

"The colour of these dogs varies, but the most esteemed are darkiron-grey, with white breast. They are, however, to be found of ayellowish or sandy hue, brindled, or even white. In former times, aswill be seen from Lord Falkland's letter quoted above, this lattercolour was by many preferred. It is described as a stately, majesticanimal, extremely good-tempered and quiet in his disposition, unlesswhen irritated or excited, when he becomes furious; and is, inconsequence of his tremendous strength, a truly formidable animal. "

Goldsmith asserts that he had seen a dozen of these dogs, and informsus "that the largest was about four feet high, or as tall as a calf ofa year old. They are generally of a white or cinnamon colour, and morerobust than the greyhound--their aspect mild, and their dispositiongentle and peaceable. It is said that their strength is so great, thatin combat the mastiff or bull-dog is far from equal to them. Theycommonly seize their antagonists by the back and shake them to death. These dogs were never serviceable for hunting, either the stag, thefox, or the hare. Their chief utility was in hunting wolves, and tothis breed may be attributed the final extirpation of those ferociousanimals in England and Wales in early times in the woody districts. "

Having thus given these different accounts of the Irish wolf-dog, Imay add that some persons are of opinion that there were two kinds ofthem--one partaking of the shape and disposition of the mastiff, andthe other of the Highland deer-hound. It is not improbable that anoble cross of dogs might have been made from these two sorts. At allevents I have fairly stated the whole of the information I have beenable to obtain respecting these dogs, and my readers must form theirown opinions. The following anecdote, recently communicated to me, isgiven in the words of the writer:--

"Two whelps were made a present to my brother by Harvey Combe, of abreed between the old Irish wolf-dog and the blood-hound. My brothergave them to Robert Evatt, of Mount Louise, county Monaghan. One diedyoung, but the other grew to be a very noble animal indeed. Unfortunately he took to chasing sheep, and became an incorrigibledestroyer of that inoffensive but valuable stock. Evatt found he couldnot afford to keep such a marauder, and as he was going to Dublin hetook up the sheep-killer, in order to present him to the ZoologicalSociety as a fine specimen of the breed. His servant was holding himat the door of the hotel when a gig drove up, and the gentlemanalighted. The dog sprung from the servant's hold, and jumping into thegig with one bound, seized the mat at the bottom of the gig, which wasmade of sheepskin, and with another bound made away with his woollyprize, and was brought back with difficulty, after a long andfatiguing pursuit. "

This is one of the most desperate cases of sheep-hunting in dogs Iever met with. It is said, that this propensity may be got rid of bytying a cord covered with wool to the dog's lower jaw, so that thewool may be kept in the mouth. 

I should mention, that in a manuscript of Froissart in the BritishMuseum, which is highly illuminated, there is a representation of thegrand entrance of Queen Isabel of England into Paris, in the year1324. She is attended by a noble greyhound, who has a flag, _powdered_with fleurs-de-lys, bound to his neck. 

Greyhounds were a favourite species of dog in the middle ages. In theancient pipe-rolls, payments are frequently made in greyhounds. InHawes' "Pastime of Pleasure, " (written in the time of Henry VII. ) Fameis attended by two greyhounds, on whose golden collars, "Grace" and"Governaunce" are inscribed in diamond letters. 

In the pictures of Rubens, Snyders, and other old masters, some of thepowerful dogs there represented would appear to be a breed between thegreyhound and mastiff. Nothing can exceed the majestic and commandingappearance of these dogs, and such a breed would be most likely toproduce the sort of animal most capable of contending with the wolf. 

The Irish wolf-dogs were formerly placed as the supporters of the armsof the ancient Monarchs of Ireland. They were collared _or_, with themotto, "Gentle when stroked--fierce when provoked. "

Mr. Scrope, in his agreeable book on deer-stalking in Scotland, hascommunicated an account from Mr. Macneill, of Colonsay, of theHighland deer-hound, in which are some interesting remarks relative tothe Irish wolf-dog, and from which I shall make a few extracts. 

In making these extracts, it is impossible not to be struck with aremark in the work referred to, that from modern writers we learnnothing further respecting the Irish wolf-dog, than that such a raceof dogs at one time existed in Ireland, that they were of a giganticsize, and that they are now extinct. 

One great obstacle in the way of investigating the history of this doghas arisen from the different appellations given to it, according tothe fancy of the natives in different parts of the country, such asIrish wolf-dog, Irish greyhound, Highland deer-hound, and Scotchgreyhound, and this circumstance may have produced the confusion infixing its identity. 

In the fourth century a number of dogs, of a great size, were sent iniron cages from Ireland to Rome, and it is not improbable that thedogs so sent were greyhounds, particularly as we learn from theauthority of Evelyn and others, that the Irish wolf-dog was used forthe fights of the bear-garden. "Greyhound" probably means a "greathound. "

Holinshed, in his "Description of Ireland and the Irish, " written in1586, has the following notice:--"They are not without wolves, andgreyhounds to hunt them, bigger of bone and limb than a colt;" and ina frontispiece to Sir James Ware's "History of Ireland, " anallegorical representation is given of a passage from the VenerableBede, in which two dogs are introduced, bearing a strong resemblanceto that given by Gesner, in his "History of Quadrupeds, " published in1560. 

The term _Irish_ is applied to Highland dogs, as everything Celtic(not excepting the language) was designated in England; probably inconsequence of Ireland being, at that period, better known to theEnglish than Scotland. This is, perhaps, a proof of the similarity ofthe Irish and Scotch deer-hounds. 

Of the courage of the ancient deer-hound there can be little doubt, from the nature of the game for which he was used. If any proof werewanting, an incident mentioned by Evelyn in his Diary, in 1670, whenpresent at a bull-fight in the bear-garden, is conclusive. He says, "The bulls (meaning the bull-dogs) did exceeding well, but the Irishwolf-dog exceeded, which was a tall greyhound, a stately creature, indeed, who beat a cruel mastiff. "

Here, perhaps, is a proof that the Irish wolf-dog was a greyhound; andthere can be little doubt that it is the same dog we find mentionedunder the name of the Irish greyhound. 

Buffon remarks that "the Irish greyhounds are of a very ancient race. They were called by the ancients, dogs of Epirus, and Albanian dogs. Pliny gives an account of a combat between one of these dogs, firstwith a lion, and then with an elephant. In France they are so rare, that I never saw above one of them, which appeared, when sitting, tobe about five feet high. He was totally white, and of a mild andpeaceable disposition. "

The following description of these dogs, translated from a Celticpoem, is probably an accurate one:--

 "An eye of sloe, with ear not low, With horse's breast, with depth of chest, With breadth of loin, and curve in groin And nape set far behind the head-- Such were the dogs that Fingal bred. "

It is probable that even in Scotland very few of the pure breed ofdogs are left, but those which are show a surprising combination ofspeed, strength, size, endurance, courage, sagacity, docility, and itmay be added, dignity. The purest specimens of the deer-hound now tobe met with are supposed to be those belonging to Captain M'Neill ofColonsay, two of them being called Buskar and Bran. And here let megive an extract from an interesting and graphic account, published byMr. Scrope, of the performance of these dogs in the chase of a stag. Let us fancy a party assembled over-night in a Highland glen, consisting of sportsmen, deer-stalkers, a piper and two deer-hounds, cooking their supper, and concluding it with the never-failingaccompaniment of whisky-toddy. Let us fancy them reposing on a couchof dried fern and heather, and being awoke in the morning with thelively air of "Hey, Johnny Cope. " While their breakfast is preparing, they wash and refresh themselves at a pure mountain stream, and aresoon ready to issue forth with Buskar and Bran. The party proceeds upa rocky glen, where the stalker sees a stag about a mile off. Heimmediately prostrates himself on the ground, and in a second the restfollow his example. We will not follow all the different manoeuvres ofthe deer-stalker and his followers, but bring them at once near theunconscious stag. After performing a very considerable circuit, movingsometimes forwards and sometimes backwards, the party at length arriveat the back of a hillock, on the opposite side of which the stalkersaid, in a whisper, the deer was lying, and that he was not distant ahundred yards. The whole party immediately moved forward in silent andbreathless expectation, with the dogs in front straining in the slips. On reaching the top of the hillock, a full view of the noble stagpresented itself, who, having heard the footsteps, had sprung on hislegs, and was staring at his enemies, at the distance of about sixtyyards. 

"The dogs were slipped; a general halloo burst from us all, and thestag, wheeling round, set off at full speed, with Buskar and Branstraining after him. 

"The brown figure of the deer, with his noble antlers laid back, contrasted with the light colour of the dogs stretching along the darkheath, presented one of the most exciting scenes that it is possibleto imagine. 

"The deer's first attempt was to gain some rising ground to the leftof the spot where we stood, and rather behind us, but, being closelypursued by the dogs, he soon found that his only safety was in speed;and (as a deer does not run well up-hill, nor like a roe, straightdown hill) on the dogs approaching him, he turned, and almost retracedhis footsteps, taking, however, a steeper line of descent than the oneby which he ascended. Here the chase became most interesting--the dogspressed him hard, and the deer getting confused, found himselfsuddenly on the brink of a small precipice of about fourteen feet inheight, from the bottom of which there sloped a rugged mass of stones. He paused for a moment, as if afraid to take the leap, but the dogswere so close that he had no alternative. 

"At this time the party were not above one hundred and fifty yardsdistant, and most anxiously waited the result, fearing, from theruggedness of the ground below, that the deer would not survive theleap. They were, however, soon relieved from their anxiety, for thoughhe took the leap, he did so more cunningly than gallantly, droppinghimself in the most singular manner, so that his hind legs firstreached the broken rocks below; nor were the dogs long in followinghim. Buskar sprang first, and, extraordinary to relate, did not losehis legs. Bran followed, and, on reaching the ground, performed acomplete somerset. He soon, however, recovered his legs, and the chasewas continued in an oblique direction down the side of a most ruggedand rocky brae, the deer, apparently more fresh and nimble than ever, jumping through the rocks like a goat, and the dogs well up, thoughoccasionally receiving the most fearful falls. 

"From the high position in which we were placed, the chase was visiblefor nearly half a mile. When some rising ground intercepted our view, we made with all speed for a higher point, and, on reaching it, wecould perceive that the dogs, having got upon smooth ground, hadgained on the deer, who was still going at speed, and were close upwith him. Bran was then leading, and in a few seconds was at hisheels, and immediately seized his hock with such violence of grasp, asseemed in a great measure to paralyse the limb, for the deer's speedwas immediately checked. Buskar was not far behind, for soonafterwards passing Bran, he seized the deer by the neck. Notwithstanding the weight of the two dogs which were hanging to him, having the assistance of the slope of the ground, he continueddragging them along at a most extraordinary rate (in defiance of theirutmost exertions to detain him), and succeeded more than once inkicking Bran off. But he became at length exhausted--the dogssucceeded in pulling him down; and though he made several attempts torise, he never completely regained his legs. 

"On coming up, we found him perfectly dead, with the joints of bothhis forelegs dislocated at the knee, his throat perforated, and hischest and flanks much lacerated. 

"As the ground was perfectly smooth for a considerable distance roundthe place where he fell, and not in any degree swampy, it is difficultto account for the dislocation of his knees, unless it happened duringhis struggles to rise. Buskar was perfectly exhausted, and had laindown, shaking from head to foot much like a broken-down horse; but onour approaching the deer he rose, walked round him with a determinedgrowl, and would scarcely permit us to get near him. He had not, however, received any cut or injury, while Bran showed severalbruises, nearly a square inch having been taken off the front of hisfore-leg, so that the bone was visible, and a piece of burnt heatherhad passed quite through his foot. 

"Nothing could exceed the determined courage displayed by both dogs, particularly by Buskar, throughout the chase, and especially inpreserving his hold, though dragged by the deer in a most violentmanner. "

It is hoped that this account of the high spirit and perseverance ofthe Scotch deer-hound will not be found uninteresting. This noblecreature was the pride and companion of our ancestors, and for a longperiod in the history of this country, particularly in Ireland, theonly dog used in the sports of the field. When we consider the greatcourage, combined with the most perfect gentleness of this animal, hisgigantic, picturesque, and graceful form, it must be a subject ofregret that the breed is likely to become extinct. Where shall we finddogs possessing such a combination of fine and noble qualities?

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The following anecdote, which with the accompanying fine engraving istaken from the New Sporting Magazine for January 1839, presents astriking example of the same kind:--

"The incident which the artist has made the subject for ourembellishment occurred with Lord Ossulston's stag-hounds, on Tuesday, the 1st of May, when the stag, after a fast run of an hour, jumpedover a precipice, and broke his neck. The hounds were, at this time, close to his haunches, and a couple and a half of the leading dogswent over with the stag. Two of the hounds were so hurt that theycould not move, and the third was found by the greencoat first up, lying on the dead deer. "

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I am indebted to that clever and intelligent authoress, Mrs. S. CarterHall, for her recollections of an Irish wolf-dog and his master, whichI cannot do better than give in her own words:--

"When I was a child, I had a very close friendship with a genuine oldwolf-dog, Bruno by name. He was the property of an old friend of mygrandmother's, who claimed descent from the Irish kings. His name wasO'Toole. His manners were the most courtly you can imagine; as theymight well be, for he had spent much time and fortune at the Frenchcourt, when Marie Antoinette was in her prime and beauty. His visitswere my jubilees--there was the kind, dignified old gentleman, whotold me tales--there was his tall, gaunt dog, grey with age, and yetwith me full of play; and there were two rough terriers, whom Brunokept in admirable order. He managed the little one by simply placinghis paw upon it when it was too frisky; but Vixen, the large one, likemany ladies, had a will of her own, and entertained some idea of beingmistress. Bruno would bear a good deal from her, giving, however, nowand then, a low deep growl; but when provoked too much, he wouldquietly lift the dog off the ground by the strength of his jaws (histeeth were gone), stand with her in his mouth at the doors until theywere opened, and then deposit her, half strangled as she was, in anettle-bed some distance from the house. The dog's discrimination wascurious. If Vixen was thrown upon him, or if we forced her to insulthim, he never punished her; but if she of her own accord teazed himmore than his patience could bear, the punishment was certain tofollow. 

"O'Toole and his dogs always occupied the same room, the terriersbeing on the bed with their master. No entreaty, however, ever inducedBruno to sleep on anything softer than stone. He would remove thehearth-rug and lay on the marble. His master used to instance thedog's disdain of luxury as a mark of his noble nature. 

"I should not omit to tell you, as characteristic of my old friend, that O'Toole was proud, and never would submit to be called 'Mr. 'Meeting, one day, Lord Arne in Dame Street, Dublin, while the old manwas followed by his three wolf-dogs, of which Bruno was the last, theyoung nobleman, who had also his followers in the shape of 'Parliamentmen, ' said to the descendant of Irish kings, nodding to him familiarlyat the same time, 'How do you do, _Mr. _ O'Toole?' The old man paused, drew himself up, lifted his hat, made his courtly bow, and answered, 'O'Toole salutes Arne. ' I can recall nothing more picturesque thanthat majestic old gentleman and his dog, both remnants of a bygoneage. Bruno was rough, but not long-coated, very grave, observant, enduring every one, very fond of children, playing with them gently, but only crouching and fawning on his master; 'and that, ' O'Toolewould say, 'is a proof of my royal blood. ' I could fill a volume withmemoirs of that fine old man. He was more than six feet in height, andhis dog always sat with his head on his master's knee. "

This is altogether a pretty and interesting picture. 

The sagacity of this fine breed is well illustrated in what follows:--

A gentleman walking along the road on Kingston Hill, accompanied by afriend and a noble deer-hound, which was also a retriever, threw hisglove into a ditch; and having walked on for a mile, sent his dog backfor it. After waiting a considerable time, and the dog not returning, they retraced their steps. Hearing loud cries in the distance, theyhastened on, and at last saw the dog dragging a boy by his coattowards them. On questioning the boy, it appeared that he had pickedup the glove and put it into his pocket. The sagacious animal had noother means of conveying it to his master than by compelling the boyto accompany him. 

 * * * * *

The following anecdotes are from Capt. Thomas Brown's now scarce work, "Biographical Sketches and Anecdotes of Dogs. " He says:--

"Sir Walter Scott has most obligingly furnished me with the followinganecdotes of his celebrated dog Maida:--

"I was once riding over a field on which the reapers were at work, thestooks being placed behind them, as is usual. Maida having found ahare, began to chase her, to the great amusement of the spectators, asthe hare turned very often and very swiftly among the stooks. Atlength, being hard pressed, she fairly bolted into one of them. Maidawent in headlong after her, and the stook began to be much agitated invarious directions. At length the sheaves tumbled down; and the hareand the dog, terrified alike at their overthrow, ran different ways, to the great amusement of the spectators. "

"Among several peculiarities which Maida possessed, one was a strongaversion to a certain class of artists, arising from the frequentrestraints he was subjected to in having his portrait taken, onaccount of his majestic appearance. The instant he saw a pencil andpaper produced he prepared to beat a retreat; and, if forced toremain, he exhibited the strongest marks of displeasure. "

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Ranaldson Macdonell, Esq. Of Glengarry, has most kindly furnished thefollowing interesting notices and anecdotes of the Scottish Highlandgreyhound:--

"Not many years since one of Glengarry's tenants, who had somebusiness with his chief, happened to arrive at Glengarry House atrather an early hour in the morning. A deer-hound perceiving thisperson sauntering about before the domestics were astir, walkedquietly up to him, took him gently by the wrist with his teeth, andproceeded to lead him off the ground. The man, finding him forbearing, attempted resistance; but the dog, instantly seizing his wrist withredoubled pressure, soon convinced him that his attempt was in vain. Thus admonished, the man took the hint, and quietly yielded to hiscanine conductor, who, without farther injury, led him to the outsideof the gate, and then left him. The whole of the dogs at GlengarryHouse were allowed to go at liberty at all times. 

"The Highland greyhounds, or deer-hounds as they are called in theHighlands, have a great antipathy to the sheep-dogs, and never fail toattack them whenever an opportunity offers. A shepherd, whose colleyhad frequently been attacked by the deer-dogs of Glengarry singly, andalways succeeded in beating them off on such occasions, was one dayassailed by them in a body; and his life would have been inconsiderable danger, but for one of the keepers, who happened to passat the time, and called them off. 

"The following circumstance will prove the exquisite sense of smellpossessed by the deer-hound. One of this breed, named Bran, when heldin the leash, followed the track of a wounded stag, and that in mostunfavourable rainy weather, for three successive days, at the end ofwhich time the game was shot. He was wounded first within nine milesof Invergarry House, and was traced that night to the estate ofGlenmoriston. At dusk in the evening the deer-stalkers placed a stoneon each side of the last fresh print of his hoof, and another over it;and this they did each night following. On the succeeding morning theyremoved the upper stone, when the dog recovered the scent, and thedeer was that day traced over a great part of Glenmoriston's ground. On the third day he was retraced to the lands of Glengarry, and thereshot. 

"My present dog, Comhstri, to great courage unites the quality of agentle disposition, with much fidelity and attachment. Though not solarge as some of his kindred, he is nevertheless as high-spirited anddetermined as any of his race, which the following circumstance willtestify: 'About three years ago, a deer from the wood of Derrygarbh, whose previous hurts had been healed, came out of Glengarry's pass, who wounded it severely in the body with a rifle bullet. Thedeer-hounds were immediately laid on the blood-track. The stag wasstarted in the course of a few minutes; the dogs were instantlyslipped, and the fine animal ran to bay in a deep pool of water, belowa cascade, on the Garyquulach burn. Comhstri immediately plunged in, and seized the stag by the throat; both went under water, surroundedwith the white foam, slightly tinged with the deer's blood. The dogsoon came to the surface to recover his breath; and before the othercould do so, Comhstri dived, and again seized him by the throat. Thestag was soon after taken out of the pool dead. 

"Comhstri's colour is grey, with a white chest; but we have had themof different colours at Glengarry, such as pure white, black, brindled, and sand-colour. 

"When the Highlanders dream of a _black_ dog, it is interpreted tomean one of the clan of Macdonell; but if of a deer-hound, it denotesa chief, or one of the principal persons of that clan. "

 * * * * *

That the Scottish dogs were much prized in England from the earliesttimes, the following interesting account, taken from Holinshed'sChronicles, 'Historie of Scotland, ' p. 71, printed in 1586, will show. "And shortlie after the return of these ambassadors into theircountrie, divers young gentlemen of the Pictish nobilitie repairedunto King Crathlint, to hunt and make merie with him; but when theyshould depart homewards, perceiving that the Scotish dogs did farreexcell theirs, both in fairnesse, swiftnesse, hardinesse, and also inlong standing up and holding out, they got diverse both dogs andbitches of the best kinds for breed to be given them by the ScotishLords; and yet not so contented, they stole one belonging to the kingfrom his keeper, being more esteemed of him than all the others whichhe had about him. The master of the leash being informed hereof, pursued after them which had stollen that dog, thinking indeed tohave taken him from them; but they not willing to part with him, fellat altercation, and in the end chanced to strike the maister of theleash through with their horsespeares that he died presentlie:whereupon noise and crie being raised in the countrie by his servants, diverse of the Scots, as they were going home from hunting, returned, and, falling upon the Picts to revenge the death of their fellow, there ensued a shrewd bickering betwixt them, so that of the Scotsthere died three score gentlemen, besides a great number of thecommons, not one of them understanding (till all was done) what thematter meant. Of the Picts there were about an hundred slaine. Thiscircumstance led to a bloody war betwixt the two nations. "

 * * * * *

The following interesting anecdote, related by Mr. Carr in his"Stranger in Ireland, " there can be no doubt, I think, refers to theIrish wolf-dog. Mr. Carr says, that while on his journey to Ireland he"wandered to a little church, which owed its elevation to thefollowing circumstance. Llewelyn the Great, who resided near the baseof Snowdon, had a beautiful dog named Gelert, which had been presentedto him by King John in 1205. One day, in consequence of the faithfulanimal, which at night always 'sentinelled his master's bed, ' notmaking his appearance in the chase, Llewelyn returned home very angry, and met the dog, covered with blood, at the door of the chamber ofhis child. Upon entering it, he found the bed overturned, and thecoverlet stained with gore. He called to his boy; but receiving noanswer, he rashly concluded that he had been killed by Gelert, and inhis anguish instantly thrust his sword through the poor animal's body. The Hon. Robert Spencer has beautifully told the remainder of thestory. 

 'His suppliant looks, as prone he fell, No pity could impart; But still his Gelert's dying yell Passed heavy on his heart. 

 Arous'd by Gelert's dying yell, Some slumb'rer waken'd nigh: What words the parent's joy could tell, To hear his infant's cry?

 Nor scathe had he, nor harm, nor dread: But the same couch beneath, Lay a gaunt wolf all torn and dead, Tremendous still in death. 

 Ah! what was then Llewelyn's pain? For now the truth was clear:-- His gallant hound the wolf had slain, To save Llewelyn's heir. '[F]

In order to mitigate his offence, Llewelyn built this chapel, andraised a tomb to poor Gelert; and the spot to this day is called_Beth-Gelert_, or the Grave of Gelert. "

I should not omit to mention, that in Mr. Windle's account of Cork, Kerry, &c. , there is the following notice of the wolf and Irishwolf-dog. 

"The last wolf seen in Ireland was killed in the neighbourhood ofAnnascuit, near Dingle, in 1710. The place is still known by the nameof the Wolf's Step. The Irish called the wolf-dog _Sagh cliun_; andold Campion, speaking of the Irish, says, They are not without wolves, and greyhounds to hunt them bigger of bone and limne than a colt. "

This noble animal is also described as "similar in shape to agreyhound, larger than a mastiff, and tractable as a spaniel. "

The following fact will serve to prove that the deer-hound ispossessed of a fine sense of smelling, a circumstance which has beendoubted by many persons. 

The head keeper of Richmond Park is possessed of a famous olddeer-hound bitch, remarkable for her sagacity, and for having takenfive bucks in one day. After a battue in the Park in the winter of1845, he directed one of the under-keepers to examine the groundcarefully, which had been shot over the day before. He was accompaniedby the old dog, who was to act as retriever. She came to a point inone of the covers, as was her custom when she seemed to find a rabbit;but the keeper, finding that it was a hare, called her off. Aftergoing some distance, the dog went back and pointed the hare a secondtime. The keeper put her up, and then found that she had been wounded, having had her hind leg broken. Here the fine sense of smelling wasthe more remarkable, as this old dog will not look at a hare, norindeed can she be induced to run after one. 

One of her progeny ran a wounded buck into the large pond in the Park, swam after it, killed it in the water, and then seizing it by thefoot, swam with it to the shore. 

Having now given my reader all the information I can gather on thisdog of bygone times, I will gratify him with a letter I have receivedfrom a lady whose name is dear to Ireland, and highly placed in theranks of English Literature:--

 "Dear Sir, "I am much flattered by your compliment to my national erudition, a very scanty stock in my best of times, and now nearly used up, in 'furnishing forth' the pages of many an idle tale, worked out in the 'Irish Interest, ' as the mouse nibbled at the lion's net, --the same presumption, if not with the same results! However, I will rub up my old '_Shannos_, ' as Elizabeth said of her Latin, and endeavour to recollect the little I have ever known on the subject of the Irish wolf-dog. 

 "Natural history is too much a matter of fact to have ever interested the poetic temperament of the Irish; Schools of Poetry, Heraldry, and Music, were opened (says the Irish historians), 'time immemorial. ' St. Patrick found the Academies of Lismore and Armagh in a flourishing condition, when he arrived on his great mission; and the more modern College of Clonard (founded in the fifth century by Bishop Finnan), had a great reputation for its learning and learned professors. But it does not appear that there was any Chair of Natural History or Philosophy in these scholastic Seminaries. Their Transactions recorded the miracles of saints rather than the miracles of nature. And had some daring Cuvier, or enterprising Lyell or Murchison, opened those spacious cabinets, once

 'In the deep bosom of the ocean buried, '

 or entombed in mountain layers for unnumbered ages, the Druid priests would probably have immolated the daring naturalist under his highest oak. Is it quite sure that the Prior of Armagh, or the founder of the Royal Academy of Clonard, the good Saint Finnan himself, would have served them much better? Certain, however, it is, that the Druids, Bards, Filiahs, Senachies and Saints of Ireland, who left such mighty reputations behind them for learning, have not dropped one word on the subject of the natural history of their 'Isle of Song;' and though they may have dabbled a little in that prosaic pursuit, they probably soon discovered its perilous tendency, and sang with the last and most charming of Irish Bards, --

 'No, Science, to you We have long bade a last and careless adieu. '

 "Nearly two thousand years after the foundation of the most learned Academies of Ireland, a pretty little Zoological Garden was opened in the capital of the country; but no living type of the Irish wolf-dog is to be found there, nor were any 'fossil remains' of the noble animal discovered in the Wicklow Mines, [G] which were worked some fifty years back, but which, for want of capital or perseverance, only furnished a few Cronobane halfpence, and materials for a musical farce to one of the most delightful farcical Irish writers of his time;[H] for in Ireland, 'Tout finis par un chanson, '

 (as Figaro had it of the France of his age, ) when worse results do not follow disappointment. 

 "The Irish wolf-dog, therefore, it may be asserted, belongs to the poetical traditions of Ireland, or to its remote Milesian histories. 'Gomer, the eldest son of Japhet, and others, the immediate posterity of Noah, after the dispersion of mankind at Babel, ventured (it is said), to 'commit themselves by ships upon the sea, ' to search out the unknown corners of the world, and thus found out a western land called Ireland. '--(Dr. Warner. )

 "It is probable they were the first to disturb its tranquillity by the introduction of wolves, a fragment of the menagerie of the Ark; for all noxious and destructive animals and reptiles were brought into Ireland by her invaders. The soil and clime of the 'woody Morven, ' however, though not genial to their naturalisation, was long a prey to one of the most ferocious animals imported by foreign aggression to increase and multiply. Ireland swarmed with wolves, and its colonists and aborigines would in time have alike shared the fate of 'little Red Riding Hood;' when, lo! up started the noble _Canis familiaris Hibernicus_, which, greatly improved by a cross with the wolf itself, was found everywhere in fierce antagonism with foreign ferocity; and for his eminent services was not only speedily adopted by patriot kings and heroes, as part of their courtly and warlike parade, but sung by bards and immortalised by poets, as worthy of such illustrious companionship. It is thus Bran, the famous and beloved hound of Fingal, has become as immortal as his master; and a track is still shown on a mountain in Tyrone, near New Town Stuart, called 'The Track of the Foot of Bran, the Hound of Fionne Mac Cumhall. ' So much for poetry and tradition. Modern naturalists, however, in their animal biography and prosaic view of things, have assigned the introduction of the wolf-dog in Ireland to the Danes, who brought it over in their first invasion; and its resemblance to '_Le gros Danois_' of Buffon favours the supposition. 'When Ireland swarmed with wolves, ' says Pennant, 'these dogs were confined to the chase; but as soon as these animals were extirpated, the number of the dogs decreased, and from that period were kept chiefly for state. ' Goldsmith mentions having only seen in his time in Ireland one Irish wolf-hound that was four feet high. And though the father of the late Marquis of Sligo endeavoured to preserve the breed, his kennels in latter years exhibited but a scanty specimen. These majestic and beautiful animals are now, I believe, quite extinct in Ireland, where their scarcity is accounted for by Mr. Pennant as 'the consequence of the late King of Poland having procured from thence by his agents as many as could be purchased. ' The last notice taken of the Irish wolf-dog in fictitious narrative may, I believe, be found in one of my own national novels, 'O'Donnel, ' where the hero and his hound are first introduced to the reader together. I borrowed the picture, as I gave it, from living originals, which in my earliest youth struck forcibly on my imagination, in the person of the celebrated Archibald Hamilton Rowan, accompanied by his Irish hound Bran!

 "This is all I know or can recollect of my noble and beautiful compatriot; but I remember that when some writer in 'Fraser's Magazine' styled me 'that Irish she wolf-dog, ' I felt complimented by the epithet, since to attack the enemies of Ireland, and to worry when they could not destroy them, was the peculiar attribute of the species. 

 "I have the honour to be, dear Sir, "Most truly yours, "SYDNEY MORGAN. "

 "_William Street, Albert Gate. _"

[Illustration]

[Illustration: NEWFOUNDLAND DOG. ]

THE NEWFOUNDLAND DOG. 

 "Nor will it less delight th' attentive sage, T' observe that instinct which unerring guides The brutal race, which mimics reason's lore, And oft transcends. 

 * * * *

 The dog, whom nothing can mislead, Must be a dog of parts indeed. Is often wiser than his master. " SOMMERVILLE. 

This noble dog may be justly styled the friend and guardian of hismaster. I had some doubts in making out my list of dogs, whether heought not to take precedence of all others; but, after duly weighingthe matter in my own mind, I have given the palm to the Irishwolf-hound, and the honest Newfoundland immediately follows him. I notonly think that this precedence will gratify some of my friends inIreland, who have called upon me to do justice to one of theirfavourite and national emblems, but it is, perhaps, due in strictjustice to an animal who proved himself so great a benefactor to hisnative country. There is, moreover, such a degree of romance attachedto the recollection of his fine qualities and imposing appearance, that I should be sorry to lessen them by appearing to give thepreference to any other dog. At the same time I may be allowed to add, that I have seen such courage, perseverance, and fidelity in theNewfoundland dog, and am acquainted with so many well-authenticatedfacts of his more than ordinary sense and utility, that I think himentitled to be considered as little inferior to the Irish wolf-dog. 

When we reflect on the docility of the Newfoundland dog, hisaffectionate disposition, his aptitude in receiving instruction, andhis instantaneous sense of impending danger, we shall no longer wonderat his being called the friend of his master, whom he is at all timesready to defend at the risk of his own life. How noble is hisappearance, and at the same time how serene is his countenance!

 "Sa fierté, sa beauté, sa jeunesse agréable Le fit cherir de vous, et il est redoutable A vos fiers ennemis par sa courage. "

No animal, perhaps, can show more real courage than this dog. Hisperseverance in what he undertakes is so great, that he neverrelinquishes an attempt which has been enjoined him as long as thereis a chance of success. I allude more particularly to storms at seaand consequent shipwreck, when his services, his courage, andindefatigable exertions, have been truly wonderful. Numerous personshave been saved from a watery grave by these dogs, and ropes have beenconveyed by them from a sinking ship to the shore amidst foamingbillows, by which means whole crews have been saved from destruction. Their feet are particularly well adapted to enable them to swim, beingwebbed very much like those of a duck, and they are at all times readyto plunge into the water to save a human being from drowning. Somedogs delight in following a fox, others in hunting the hare, orkilling vermin. The delight of the Newfoundland dog appears to be inthe preservation of the lives of the human race. A story is related ongood authority of one of these dogs being in the habit, when he sawpersons swimming in the Seine at Paris, of seizing them and bringingthem to the shore. In the immediate neighbourhood of Windsor a servantwas saved from drowning by a Newfoundland dog, who seized him by thecollar of his coat when he was almost exhausted, and brought him tothe banks, where some of the family were assembled watching with greatanxiety the exertions of the noble animal. 

Those who were much at Windsor, not many years since, must have seen afine Newfoundland dog, called Baby, reposing occasionally in front ofthe White Hart Hotel. Baby was a general favourite, and he deserved tobe so; for he was mild in his disposition, brave as a lion, and verysensible. When he was thirsty, and could not procure water at the pumpin the yard, he has frequently been seen to go to the stable, fetch anempty bucket, and stand with it in his mouth at the pump till some onecame for water. He then, by wagging his tail and expressive looks, made his want known, and had his bucket filled. Exposed as Baby was tothe attacks of all sorts of curs, as he slumbered in the sun in frontof the hotel, he seemed to think that a pat with his powerful paw wasquite sufficient punishment for them, but he never tamely submitted toinsult from a dog approaching his own size, and his courage was onlyequalled by his gentleness. 

The following anecdote, which is well authenticated, shows thesagacity as well as the kindliness of disposition of these dogs. Inthe city of Worcester, one of the principal streets leads by a gentledeclivity to the river Severn. One day a child, in crossing thestreet, fell down in the middle of it, and a horse and cart, whichwere descending the hill, would have passed over it, had not aNewfoundland dog rushed to the rescue of the child, caught it up inhis mouth, and conveyed it in safety to the foot pavement. 

My kind friend, Mr. T----, took a Newfoundland dog and a small spanielinto a boat with him on the river Thames, and when he got into themiddle of the river, he turned them into the water. They swamdifferent ways, but the spaniel got into the current, and afterstruggling some time was in danger of being drowned. As soon as theNewfoundland dog perceived the predicament of his companion, he swamto his assistance, and brought him safe to the shore. 

A vessel went down in a gale of wind near Liverpool, and every one onboard perishes. A Newfoundland dog was seen swimming about the placewhere the vessel was lost for some time, and at last came on shorevery much exhausted. For three days he swam off to the same spot, andwas evidently trying to find his lost master, so strong was hisaffection. 

 * * * * *

I have always been pleased with that charming remark of Sir EdwinLandseer, that the Newfoundland dog was a "distinguished Member of theHumane Society. " How delightfully has that distinguished artistportrayed the character of dogs in his pictures! and what justice hashe done to their noble qualities! We see in them honesty, fidelity, courage, and sense--no exaggeration--no flattery. He makes us feelthat his dogs will love us without selfishness, and defend us at therisk of their own lives--that though friends may forsake us, theynever will--and that in misfortune, poverty, and death, theiraffection will be unchanged, and their gratitude unceasing. But toreturn to the Newfoundland dog, and we shall again find him acting hispart as a Member of the Humane Society. 

A gentleman bathing in the sea at Portsmouth, was in the greatestdanger of being drowned. Assistance was loudly called for, but no boatwas ready, and though many persons were looking on, no one could befound to go to his help. In this predicament, a Newfoundland dogrushed into the sea and conveyed the gentleman in safety to land. Heafterwards purchased the dog for a large sum, treated him as long ashe lived with gratitude and kindness, and had the following wordsworked on his table-cloths and napkins--"_Virum extuli mari_. "

A person, in crossing a plank at a mill, fell into the stream atnight, and was saved by his Newfoundland dog, and who afterwardsrecovered his hat, which had fallen from his head, and was floatingdown the stream. 

There can be no doubt but that dogs calculate, and almost reason. Adog who had been in the habit of stealing from a kitchen, which hadtwo doors opening into it, would never do so if one of them was shut, as he was afraid of being caught. If both the doors were open, hischance of escape was greater, and he therefore seized what he could. This sort of calculation, if I may call it is so, was shown by aNewfoundland bitch. She had suckled two whelps until they were able totake care of themselves. They were, however, constantly following anddisturbing her in order to be suckled, when she had little or no milkto give them. She was confined in a shed, which was separated fromanother by a wooden partition some feet high. Into this shed sheconveyed her puppies, and left them there while she returned to theother to enjoy a night's rest unmolested. This shows that the animalwas capable of reflecting to a degree beyond what would have been theresult of mere instinct. 

The late Rev. James Simpson, of the Potterrow congregation, Edinburgh, had a large dog of the Newfoundland breed. At that time he lived atLibberton, a distance of two miles from Edinburgh, in a house to whichwas attached a garden. One Sacrament Sunday the servant, who was leftat home in charge of the house, thought it a good opportunity toentertain her friends, as her master and mistress were not likely toreturn home till after the evening's service, about nine o'clock. During the day the dog accompanied them through the garden, and indeedwherever they went, in the most attentive manner, and seemed wellpleased. In the evening, when the time arrived that the party meant toseparate, they proceeded to do so; but the dog, the instant they wentto the door, interposed, and placing himself before it, would notallow one of them to touch the handle. On their persisting andattempting to use force he became furious, and in a menacing mannerdrove them back into the kitchen, where he kept them until the arrivalof Mr. And Mrs. Simpson, who were surprised to find the party at solate an hour, and more so to see the dog standing sentinel over them. Being thus detected, the servant acknowledged the whole circumstance, when her friends were allowed to depart, after being admonished by theworthy divine in regard to the proper use of the Sabbath. They couldnot but consider the dog as an instrument in the hand of Providence topoint out the impropriety of spending this holy day in feasting ratherthan in the duties of religion. 

After the above circumstance, it became necessary for Mr. Simpson, onaccount of his children's education, to leave his country residence, when he took a house in Edinburgh in a common stair. Speaking of this, one day, to a friend who had visited him, he concluded that he wouldbe obliged to part with his dog, as he was too large an animal to bekept in such a house. The animal was present, and heard him say so, and must have understood what he meant, as he disappeared thatevening, and was never afterwards heard of. These circumstances havebeen related to me by an elder of Mr. Simpson's congregation, who hadthem from himself. 

 * * * * *

I am indebted to the late amiable Lord Stowell for the followinganecdote, which has since been verified by Mr. Henry Wix, brother ofthe archdeacon:--

A Newfoundland dog belonging to Archdeacon Wix, which had neverquitted the island, was brought over to London by him in January1834, and when he and his family landed at Blackwall the dog was lefton board the vessel. A few days afterwards the Archdeacon went fromthe Borough side of the Thames in a boat to the vessel, which was thenin St. Katherine's Docks, to see about his luggage, but did not intendat that time to take the dog from the ship; however, on his leavingthe vessel the dog succeeded in extricating himself from hisconfinement, jumped overboard, and swam after the boat across theThames, followed his master into a counting-house on Gun-shot Wharf, Tooley Street, and then over London Bridge and through the City to St. Bartholomew's Hospital. The dog was shut within the square whilst theArchdeacon went into his father's house, and he then followed him onhis way to Russell Square, but strayed somewhere in Holborn; and asseveral gentlemen had stopped to admire him in the street, saying hewas worth a great deal of money, the Archdeacon concluded that somedog-stealer had enticed him away. He however wrote to the captain ofthe vessel to mention his loss, and made inquiries on the followingmorning at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, when he learnt that the dog hadcome to the gates late in the evening, and howled most piteously foradmission, but was driven away. Two days afterwards the captain of thevessel waited on the Archdeacon with the dog, who had not only foundhis way back to the water's edge, on the Borough side, but, what ismore surprising, swam across the Thames, where no scent could havedirected him, and found out the vessel in St. Katherine's Docks. 

This sagacious and affectionate creature had, previous to his leavingNewfoundland, saved his master's life by directing his way home whenlost in a snow-storm many miles from any shelter. 

The dog was presented to the Archdeacon's uncle, Thomas Poynder, Esq. , Clapham Common, in whose possession it continued until its death. 

 * * * * *

Every particular has been faithfully given of this extraordinaryoccurrence. Here we see a dog brought for the first time fromNewfoundland, and who can scarcely be said to have put his feet onground in England, not only finding his way through a crowded city tothe banks of the river, but also finding the ship he wanted in thatriver, and in which he evidently thought he should discover his lostmaster. It is an instance of sense of so peculiar a kind that it isdifficult to define it, or the faculty which enables animals to findtheir way to a place over ground which they had not previouslytraversed. 

 * * * * *

A gentleman of Suffolk, on an excursion with his friend, was attendedby a Newfoundland dog, which soon became the subject of conversation. The master, after a warm eulogium upon the perfections of his caninefavourite, assured his companion that he would, upon receiving theorder, return and fetch any article he should leave behind, from anydistance. To confirm this assertion, a marked shilling was put under alarge square stone by the side of the road, being first shown to thedog. The gentlemen then rode for three miles, when the dog receivedhis signal from the master to return for the shilling he had seen putunder the stone. The dog turned back; the gentlemen rode on, andreached home; but to their surprise and disappointment the hithertofaithful messenger did not return during the day. It afterwardsappeared that he had gone to the place where the shilling wasdeposited, but the stone being too large for his strength to remove, he had stayed howling at the place till two horsemen riding by, andattracted by his seeming distress, stopped to look at him, when one ofthem alighting, removed the stone, and seeing the shilling, put itinto his pocket, not at the time conceiving it to be the object of thedog's search. The dog followed their horses for twenty miles, remainedundisturbed in the room where they supped, followed the chambermaidinto the bedchamber, and secreted himself under one of the beds. Thepossessor of the shilling hung his trousers upon a nail by thebed-side; but when the travellers were both asleep, the dog took themin his mouth, and leaping out of the window, which was left open onaccount of the sultry heat, reached the house of his master at fouro'clock in the morning with the prize he had made free with, in thepocket of which were found a watch and money, that were returned uponbeing advertised, when the whole mystery was mutually unravelled, tothe admiration of all the parties. [I]

Many years ago, I saw a horse belonging to a quartermaster in the 1stDragoon Guards, when the regiment was quartered at Ipswich, find ashilling, which was covered with sawdust, in the riding-school at theCavalry Barracks at that place, and give it to his owner. I thoughtthis a wonderful instance of sagacity as well as docility, but howvery far does this fall short of the intellectual faculty of dogs! Ido not intend to assert that they are endowed with mental powers equalto those which the human race possess, but to contend that there isnot a faculty of the human mind of which some evident proofs of itsexistence may not be found in dogs. Thus we find them possessed ofmemory, imagination, the powers of imitation, curiosity, cunning, revenge, ingenuity, gratitude, devotion, or affection, and otherqualities. They are able to communicate their wants, their pleasures, and their pains, their apprehensions of danger, and their prospects offuture good, by modulating their voices accordingly, and bysignificant gestures. They perfectly comprehend our wishes, and livewith us as friends and companions. When the fear of man and dread ofhim were inflicted as a curse on the animal creation, the dog-kindalone seems an exception, and their sagacity and fidelity to thehuman race was an incalculable blessing bestowed upon them. Theseremarks are fully borne out in a very interesting article on the dogin the "Quarterly Review" of September, 1843. 

A fine, handsome, and valuable black dog of the Newfoundland species, belonging to Mr. Floyd, solicitor, Holmfirth, committed suicide bydrowning itself in the river which flows at the back of its owner'shabitation. For some days previous the animal seemed less animatedthan usual, but on this particular occasion he was noticed to throwhimself into the water and endeavour to sink by preserving perfectstillness of the legs and feet. Being dragged out of the stream, thedog was tied up for a time, but had no sooner been released than heagain hastened to the water and again tried to sink, and was again gotout. This occurred many times, until at length the animal withrepeated efforts appeared to get exhausted, and by dint of keeping hishead determinedly under water for a few minutes succeeded at last inobtaining his object, for when taken out this time he was indeed dead. The case is worth recording, as affording another proof of the generalinstinct and sagacity of the canine race. 

Mr. Nicol, late of Pall Mall, told me he saw an old foxhounddeliberately drown itself, and was ready to make oath of it. 

Mrs. Kaye, residing opposite Windsor Park Wall, Datchet, had abeautiful Newfoundland dog. For the convenience of the family a boatwas kept, that they might at times cross the water without theinconvenience of going a considerable way round to Datchet Bridge. Thedog was so delighted with the aquatic trips, that he very rarelypermitted the boat to go without him. It happened that the coachman, who had been but little accustomed to the depths and shallows of thewater, intending a forcible push with the punt pole, which was notlong enough to reach the bottom, fell over the side of the boat in thedeepest part of the water, and in the central part of the current, which accident was observed by a part of the family then at the frontwindows of the house; sudden and dreadful as the alarm was, they hadthe consolation of seeing the sagacious animal instantaneously followhis companion, when after diving, and making two or three abortiveattempts, by laying hold of different parts of his apparel, which asrepeatedly gave way or overpowered his exertions, he then, with themost determined and energetic fortitude, seized him by the arm, andbrought him to the edge of the bank, where the domestics of theterrified family were ready to assist in extricating him from hisperilous situation. [J]

I have mentioned that revenge had been shown by dogs, and thefollowing is an instance of it. A gentleman was staying at Worthing, where his Newfoundland dog was teased and annoyed by a small cur, which snapped and barked at him. This he bore, without appearing tonotice it, for some time; but at last the Newfoundland dog seemed tolose his usual patience and forbearance, and he one day, in thepresence of several spectators, took the cur up by his back, swam withit into the sea, held it under the water, and would probably havedrowned it, had not a boat been put off and rescued it. There wasanother instance communicated to me. A fine Newfoundland dog had beenconstantly annoyed by a small spaniel. The former, seizing theopportunity when they were on a terrace under which a river flowed, took up the spaniel in his mouth, and dropped it over the parapet intothe river. 

Jukes, in his "Excursions in and about Newfoundland, " says, "A thin, short-haired black dog, belonging to George Harvey, came off to usto-day; this animal was of a breed very different from what weunderstand by the term Newfoundland dog in England. He had a thintapering snout, a long thin tail, and rather thin but powerful legs, with a lank body, the hair short and smooth. These are the mostabundant dogs of the country, the long-haired curly dogs beingcomparatively rare. They are by no means handsome, but are generallymore intelligent and useful than the others. This one caught his ownfish; he sat on a projecting rock beneath a fish-lake or stage, wherethe fish are laid to dry, watching the water, which had a depth of sixor eight feet, the bottom of which was white with fish-bones. Onthrowing a piece of codfish into the water, three or four heavy, clumsy-looking fish, called in Newfoundland sculpins, with great headsand mouths, and many spines about them, and generally about a footlong, would swim in to catch it. These he would '_set_' attentively, and the moment one turned his broadside to him, he darted down like afish-hawk, and seldom came up without the fish in his mouth. As hecaught them he carried them regularly to a place a few yards off, where he laid them down; and they told us that in the summer he wouldsometimes make a pile of fifty or sixty a-day just at that place. Henever attempted to eat them, but seemed to be fishing purely for hisown amusement. I watched him for about two hours, and when the fishdid not come I observed he once or twice put his right foot in thewater, and paddled it about. This foot was white, and Harvey said hedid it to _toll_ or entice the fish; but whether it was for thatspecific reason, or merely a motion of impatience, I could not exactlydecide. "

Extraordinary as the following anecdote may appear to some persons, itis strictly true, and strongly shows the sense, and I am almostinclined to add, reason of the Newfoundland dog. 

A friend of mine, while shooting wild fowl with his brother, wasattended by a sagacious dog of this breed. In getting near some reedsby the side of a river, they threw down their hats, and crept to theedge of the water, when they fired at some birds. They soon afterwardssent the dog to bring their hats, one of which was smaller than theother. After several attempts to bring them both together in hismouth, the dog at last placed the smaller hat in the larger one, pressed it down with his foot, and thus was able to bring them both atthe same time. 

A gentleman residing in Fifeshire, and not far from the city of St. Andrews, was in possession of a very fine Newfoundland dog, which wasremarkable alike for its tractability and its trustworthiness. At twoother points, each distant about a mile, and at the same distance fromthis gentleman's mansion, there were two dogs of great power, but ofless tractable breeds than the Newfoundland one. One of these was alarge mastiff, kept as a watch-dog by a farmer, and the other a stanchbull-dog, that kept guard over the parish mill. As each of these threewas lord-ascendant of all animals at his master's residence, they allhad a good deal of aristocratic pride and pugnacity, so that two ofthem seldom met without attempting to settle their respectivedignities by a wager of battle. 

The Newfoundland dog was of some service in the domestic arrangements, besides his guardianship of the house; for every forenoon he was sentto the baker's shop in the village, about half-a-mile distant, with atowel containing money in the corner, and he returned with the valueof the money in bread. There were many useless and not over-civil cursin the village, as there are in too many villages throughout thecountry; but generally the haughty Newfoundland treated this ignoblerace in that contemptuous style in which great dogs are wont totreat little ones. When the dog returned from the baker's shop, heused to be regularly served with his dinner, and went peaceably onhouse-duty for the rest of the day. 

One day, however, he returned with his coat dirtied and his earsscratched, having been subjected to a combined attack of the curswhile he had charge of his towel and bread, and so could not defendhimself. Instead of waiting for his dinner as usual, he laid down hischarge somewhat sulkily, and marched off; and, upon looking after him, it was observed that he was crossing the intervening hollow in astraight line for the house of the farmer, or rather on an embassy tothe farmer's mastiff. The farmer's people noticed this unusual visit, which they were induced to do from its being a meeting of peacebetween those who had habitually been belligerents. After someintercourse, of which no interpretation could be given, the two setoff together in the direction of the mill; and having arrived there, they in brief space engaged the miller's bull-dog as an ally. 

The straight road to the village where the indignity had been offeredto the Newfoundland dog passed immediately in front of his master'shouse, but there was a more private and more circuitous road by theback of the mill. The three took this road, reached the village, scoured it in great wrath, putting to the tooth every cur they couldget sight of; and having taken their revenge, and washed themselves ina ditch, they returned, each dog to the abode of his master; and, when any two of them happened to meet afterwards, they displayed thesame pugnacity as they had done previous to this joint expedition. 

There is a well-authenticated anecdote of two dogs at Donaghadee, inwhich the instinctive daring of the one by the other caused afriendship, and, as it should seem, a kind of lamentation for thedead, after one of them had paid the debt of nature. This happenedwhile the Government harbour or pier for the packets at Donaghadee wasin the course of building, and it took place in the sight of severalwitnesses. The one dog in this case was also a Newfoundland, and theother was a mastiff. They were both powerful dogs; and though each wasgood-natured when alone, they were very much in the habit of fightingwhen they met. One day they had a fierce and prolonged battle on thepier, from the point of which they both fell into the sea; and as thepier was long and steep, they had no means of escape but by swimming aconsiderable distance. Throwing water upon fighting dogs is anapproved means of putting an end to their hostilities; and it isnatural to suppose that two combatants of the same species tumblingthemselves into the sea would have the same effect. It had; and eachbegan to make for the land as best he could. The Newfoundland being anexcellent swimmer, very speedily gained the pier, on which he stoodshaking himself; but at the same time watching the motions of his lateantagonist, which, being no swimmer, was struggling exhausted in thewater, and just about to sink. In dashed the Newfoundland dog, tookthe other gently by the collar, kept his head above water, and broughthim safely on shore. There was a peculiar kind of recognition betweenthe two animals; they never fought again; they were always together:and when the Newfoundland dog had been accidentally killed by thepassage of a stone waggon on the railway over him, the otherlanguished and evidently lamented for a long time. 

A gentleman had a pointer and Newfoundland dog, which were greatfriends. The former broke his leg, and was confined to a kennel. During that time the Newfoundland never failed bringing bones andother food to the pointer, and would sit for hours together by theside of his suffering friend. 

During a period of very hot weather, the Mayor of Plymouth gave ordersthat all dogs found wandering in the public streets should be securedby the police, and removed to the prison-yard. Among them was aNewfoundland dog belonging to a shipowner of the port, who, withseveral others, was tied up in the yard. The Newfoundland soon gnawedthe rope which confined him, and then hearing the cries of hiscompanions to be released, he set to work to gnaw the ropes whichconfined them, and had succeeded in three or four instances, when hewas interrupted by the entrance of the jailor. 

A nearly similar case has frequently occurred in the CumberlandGardens, Windsor Great Park. Two dogs of the Newfoundland breed wereconfined in kennels at that place. When one of them was let loose, hehas been frequently seen to set his companion free. 

A boatman once plunged into the water to swim with another man for awager. His Newfoundland dog, mistaking the purpose, and supposing thathis master was in danger, plunged after him, and dragged him to theshore by his hair, to the great diversion of the spectators. 

Mr. Peter Macarthur informs me, that in the year 1821, when oppositeto Falmouth, he was at breakfast with a gentleman, when a largeNewfoundland dog, all dripping with water, entered the room, and laida newspaper on the table. The gentleman (who was one of the Society ofFriends) informed the party, that this dog swam regularly across theferry every morning, and went to the post-office, and fetched thepapers of the day. 

Mr. Blaine, in his "Encyclopædia of Rural Sports, " tells the followingstory:--A Newfoundland dog, of the small, smooth-haired variety, incoming to England from his native country, was washed overboard duringa tempestuous night. As daylight appeared the gale ceased, when asailor at the mast-head descried something far in the wake of thevessel, which, by the help of his glass, he was led to believe was thedog, which was so great a favourite with the crew that it wasunanimously requested of the captain of the vessel to _lie to_, andwait for the chance of saving the poor brute. The captain, who hadprobably lost some time already by the storm, peremptorily refused tolisten to the humane proposal. Whether it was the kindly feeling ofthe sailors, or the superstitious dread that if the dog were sufferedto perish nothing would afterwards prosper with them, we are notinformed; but we do know that, as soon as a refusal was made, thesteersman left the helm, roundly asserting that he for one would neverlend a hand to steer away from either Christian or brute in distress. The feeling was immediately caught by the rest of the crew, andmaintained so resolutely, that the captain was forced to accede to thegeneral wish; and the poor dog eventually reached the ship in safety, after having been, as we were informed, and implicitly believe, somehours in a tempestuous sea. 

Bewick mentions an instance which shows the extraordinary sagacity ofthese dogs. 

In a severe storm, a ship was lost off Yarmouth, and no livingcreature escaped, except a Newfoundland dog, which swam to the shorewith the captain's pocket-book in his mouth. Several of the bystandersattempted to take it from him, but he would not part with it. Atlength, selecting one person from the crowd, whose appearance probablypleased him, he leaped against his breast in a fawning manner, anddelivered the book to his care. 

After mentioning this anecdote it will not be displeasing to read LordGrenville's lines on his faithful Newfoundland, as they may now beseen at Dropmore, with the translation of them:--

 TIPPO. 

 IN VILLA. 

 Tippo ego hic jaceo, lapidem ne sperne, viator, Qui tali impositus stat super ossa cani. Larga mî natura manu dedit omnia, nostrum Quæcunque exornant nobilitantque genus: Robur erat validum, formæ concinna venustas, Ingenui mores, intemerata fides. Nec pudet invisi nomen gessisse tyranni, Si tam dissimili viximus ingenio. Naufragus in nuda Tenbeiæ[K] ejectus arena, Ploravi domino me superesse meo, Quem mihi, luctanti frustra, frustraque juvanti, Abreptum, oceani in gurgite mersit hyems. Solus ego sospes, sed quas miser ille tabellas Morte mihi in media credidit, ore ferens. Dulci me hospitio Belgæ excepere coloni, Ipsa etiam his olim gens aliena plagis; Et mihi gratum erat in longa spatiarier[L] ora, Et quanquam infido membra lavare mari; Gratum erat æstivis puerorum adjungere turmis Participem lusus me, comitemque viæ. Verum ubi, de multis captanti frustula mensis, Bruma aderat, seniique hora timenda mei, Insperata adeo illuxit fortuna, novique Perfugium et requiem cura dedit domini. Exinde hos saltus, hæc inter florea rura, Et vixi felix, et tumulum hunc habeo. 

 TIPPO. 

_Translated by a young Lady, a near Relation of the Author. _

 Here, stranger, pause, nor view with scornful eyes The stone which marks where faithful Tippo lies. Freely kind Nature gave each liberal grace, Which most ennobles and exalts our race, Excelling strength and beauty joined in me, Ingenuous worth, and firm fidelity. Nor shame I to have borne a tyrant's name, So far unlike to his my spotless fame. Cast by a fatal storm on Tenby's coast, Reckless of life, I wailed my master lost. Whom long contending with the o'erwhelming wave In vain with fruitless love I strove to save. I, only I, alas! surviving bore, His dying trust, his tablets, [M] to the shore. Kind welcome from the Belgian race I found, Who, once in times remote, to British ground Strangers like me came from a foreign strand. I loved at large along the extended sand To roam, and oft beneath the swelling wave, Tho' known so fatal once, my limbs to lave; Or join the children in their summer play, First in their sports, companion of their way. Thus while from many a hand a meal I sought, Winter and age had certain misery brought; But Fortune smiled, a safe and blest abode A new-found master's generous love bestowed, And midst these shades, where smiling flow'rets bloom, Gave me a happy life and honoured tomb. 

Dr. Abell, in one of his lectures on phrenology, related a verystriking anecdote of a Newfoundland dog at Cork. This dog was of anoble and generous disposition, and when he left his master's housewas often assailed by a number of little noisy dogs in the street. Heusually passed them with apparent unconcern, as if they were beneathhis notice. One little cur, however, was particularly troublesome, andat length carried his petulance so far as to bite the Newfoundland dogin the back of his foot. This was too much to be patiently endured. Heinstantly turned round, ran after the offender, and seized him by theskin of his back. In this way he carried him in his mouth to the quay, and holding him some time over the water, at length dropped him intoit. He did not seem, however, to wish to punish the culprit too much, for he waited a little while the poor animal, who was unused to thatelement, was not only well ducked, but near sinking, when he plungedin himself, and brought the other safe to land. 

An officer, late in the 15th Hussars, informed me that he hadwitnessed a similar occurrence at St. Petersburg. These certainly areinstances of a noble and generous disposition, as well as of greatforbearance in not resenting an injury. 

I may add the following instance of sagacity from the same quarter. 

A vessel was driven by a storm on the beach of Lydd, in Kent. The surfwas rolling furiously. Eight men were calling for help, but not a boatcould be got off to their assistance. At length a gentleman came onthe beach, accompanied by his Newfoundland dog. He directed theattention of the noble animal to the vessel, and put a short stickinto his mouth. The intelligent and courageous dog at once understoodhis meaning, and sprung into the sea, fighting his way through thefoaming waves. He could not, however, get close enough to the vesselto deliver that with which he was charged, but the crew joyfully madefast a rope to another piece of wood, and threw it towards him. Thesagacious dog saw the whole business in an instant; he dropped his ownpiece, and immediately seized that which had been cast to him; andthen, with a degree of strength and determination almost incredible, he dragged it through the surge and delivered it to his master. Bythis means a line of communication was formed, and every man on boardsaved. 

The keeper of a ferry on the banks of the Severn had a sagaciousNewfoundland dog. If a dog was left behind by his owner in crossing, and was afraid of taking to the water, the Newfoundland dog has beenfrequently known to take the yelping animal in his mouth and convey itinto the river. A person while rowing a boat, pushed his Newfoundlanddog into the stream. The animal followed the boat for some time, till, probably finding himself fatigued, he endeavoured to get into it byplacing his feet on the side. His owner repeatedly pushed the dogaway, and in one of his efforts to do so he overbalanced himself andfell into the river, and would probably have been drowned, had not thenoble and generous animal immediately seized and held him above watertill assistance arrived from the shore. 

About twelve years ago a fine dog of a cross-breed, between aNewfoundland and a pointer, had been left by the captain of a vesselin the care of Mr. Park, of the White Hart Inn, Greenock. A friend ofhis, a gentleman from Argyllshire, took a fancy to this dog; and, whenreturning home, requested the loan of him for some time from Mr. Park, which he granted. This gentleman had some time before married a ladymuch to the dissatisfaction of his friends, who, in consequence, treated her with some degree of coldness and neglect. While heremained at home, the dog constantly attended him, and paid noapparent attention to the lady, who, on her part, never evinced anyparticular partiality for the dog. One time, however, the gentlemanwas called from home on business, and was to be absent several days. He wished to take the dog with him; but no entreaties could induce himto follow. The animal was then tied up to prevent his leaving thehouse in his absence; but he became quite furious till he wasreleased, when he flew into the house and found his mistress, andwould not leave her. He watched at the door of whatever room she wasin, and would allow no one to approach without her special permission. When the gentleman returned home, the dog seemed to take no morenotice of the lady, but returned quietly to his former lodging in thestable. The whole circumstance caused considerable surprise; and thegentleman, wishing to try if the dog would again act in the samemanner, left home for a day or two, when the animal actually resumedthe faithful guardianship of his mistress as before; and this hecontinued to do whenever his master was absent, all the time heremained in his possession, which was two years. 

The following anecdotes of an astonishing dog called Dandie arerelated by Captain Brown:--

"Mr. M'Intyre, patent-mangle manufacturer, Regent Bridge, Edinburgh, has a dog of the Newfoundland breed, crossed with some other, namedDandie, whose sagacious qualifications are truly astonishing andalmost incredible. As the animal continues daily to give the moststriking proofs of his powers, he is well known in the neighbourhood, and any person may satisfy himself of the reality of those feats, manyof which the writer has himself had the pleasure to witness. 

"When Mr. M'Intyre is in company, how numerous soever it may be, if hebut say to the dog, 'Dandie, bring me my hat, ' he immediately picksout the hat from all the others, and puts it in his master's hand. 

"Should every gentleman in company throw a penknife on the floor, thedog, when commanded, will select his master's knife from the heap, andbring it to him. 

"A pack of cards being scattered in the room, if his master havepreviously selected one of them, the dog will find it out and bring itto him. 

"A comb was hid on the top of a mantel-piece in the room, and the dogrequired to bring it, which he almost immediately did, although in thesearch he found a number of articles, also belonging to his master, purposely strewed around, all which he passed over, and brought theidentical comb which he was required to find, fully proving that he isnot guided by the sense of smell, but that he perfectly understandswhatever is spoken to him. 

"One evening, some gentlemen being in company, one of themaccidentally dropped a shilling on the floor, which, after the mostcareful search, could not be found. Mr. M'Intyre seeing his dogsitting in a corner, and looking as if quite unconscious of what waspassing, said to him, 'Dandie, find us the shilling, and you shallhave a biscuit. ' The dog immediately jumped upon the table and laiddown the shilling, which he had previously picked up without havingbeen perceived. 

"One time, having been left in a room in the house of Mrs. Thomas, High Street, he remained quiet for a considerable time; but as no oneopened the door, he became impatient, and rang the bell; and when theservant opened the door, she was surprised to find the dog pulling thebell-rope. Since that period, which was the first time he was observedto do it, he pulls the bell whenever he is desired; and what appearsstill more remarkable, if there is no bell-rope in the room, he willexamine the table, and if he finds a hand-bell, he takes it in hismouth and rings it. 

"Mr. M'Intyre having one evening supped with a friend, on his returnhome, as it was rather late, he found all the family in bed. He couldnot find his boot-jack in the place where it usually lay, nor could hefind it anywhere in the room after the strictest search. He then saidto his dog, 'Dandie, I cannot find my bootjack; search for it. ' Thefaithful animal, quite sensible of what had been said to him, scratched at the room-door, which his master opened. Dandie proceededto a very distant part of the house, and soon returned, carrying inhis mouth the bootjack, which Mr. M. Now recollected to have left thatmorning under a sofa. 

"A number of gentlemen, well acquainted with Dandie, are daily in thehabit of giving him a penny, which he takes to a baker's shop andpurchases bread for himself. One of these gentlemen, who lives inJames's Square, when passing some time ago, was accosted by Dandie, inexpectation of his usual present. Mr. T---- then said to him, 'I havenot a penny with me to-day, but I have one at home. ' Having returnedto his house some time after, he heard a noise at the door, which wasopened by the servant, when in sprang Dandie to receive his penny. Ina frolic Mr. T---- gave him a bad one, which he, as usual, carried tothe baker, but was refused his bread, as the money was bad. Heimmediately returned to Mr. T----'s, knocked at the door, and when theservant opened it, laid the penny down at her feet, and walked off, seemingly with the greatest contempt. 

"Although Dandie, in general, makes an immediate purchase of breadwith the money which he receives, yet the following circumstanceclearly demonstrates that he possesses more prudent foresight thanmany who are reckoned rational beings. 

"One Sunday, when it was very unlikely that he could have received apresent of money, Dandie was observed to bring home a loaf. Mr. M'Intyre being somewhat surprised at this, desired the servant tosearch the room to see if any money could be found. While she wasengaged in this task, the dog seemed quite unconcerned till sheapproached the bed, when he ran to her, and gently drew her back fromit. Mr. M. Then secured the dog, which kept struggling and growlingwhile the servant went under the bed, where she found 7½_d. _ under abit of cloth; but from that time he never could endure the girl, andwas frequently observed to hide his money in a corner of a saw-pit, under the dust. 

"When Mr. M. Has company, if he desire the dog to see any one of thegentlemen home, it will walk with him till he reach his home, and thenreturn to his master, how great soever the distance may be. 

"A brother of Mr. M. 's and another gentleman went one day to Newhaven, and took Dandie along with them. After having bathed, they entered agarden in the town; and having taken some refreshment in one of thearbours, they took a walk around the garden, the gentleman leaving hishat and gloves in the place. In the meantime some strangers came intothe garden, and went into the arbour which the others had left. Dandieimmediately, without being ordered, ran to the place and brought offthe hat and gloves, which he presented to the owner. One of thegloves, however, had been left; but it was no sooner mentioned to thedog than he rushed to the place, jumped again into the midst of theastonished company, and brought off the glove in triumph. 

"A gentleman living with Mr. M'Intyre, going out to supper oneevening, locked the garden-gate behind him, and laid the key on thetop of the wall, which is about seven feet high. When he returned, expecting to let himself in the same way, to his great surprise thekey could not be found, and he was obliged to go round to the frontdoor, which was a considerable distance about. The next morning strictsearch was made for the key, but still no trace of it could bediscovered. At last, perceiving that the dog followed him wherever hewent, he said to him, 'Dandie, you have the key--go, fetch it. ' Dandieimmediately went into the garden and scratched away the earth from theroot of a cabbage, and produced the key, which he himself hadundoubtedly hid in that place. 

"If his master place him on a chair, and request him to sing, he willinstantly commence a howling, which he gives high or low as signs aremade to him with the finger. 

"About three years ago a mangle was sent by a cart from the warehouse, Regent Bridge, to Portobello, at which time the dog was not present. Afterwards, Mr. M. Went to his own house, North Back of the Canongate, and took Dandie with him, to have the mangle delivered. When he hadproceeded a little way the dog ran off, and he lost sight of him. Hestill walked forward; and in a little time he found the cart in whichthe mangle was, turned towards Edinburgh, with Dandie holding fast bythe reins, and the carter in the greatest perplexity; the man statedthat the dog had overtaken him, jumped on his cart, and examined themangle, and then had seized the reins of the horse and turned himfairly round, and that he would not let go his hold, although he hadbeaten him with a stick. On Mr. M. 's arrival, however, the dog quietlyallowed the carter to proceed to his place of destination. "

 * * * * *

The following is another instance of extraordinary sagacity. ANewfoundland dog, belonging to a grocer, had observed one of theporters of the house, and who was often in the shop, frequently takemoney from the till, and which the man was in the habit of concealingin the stable. The dog, having witnessed these thefts, becamerestless, pulling persons by the skirts of their coats, andapparently wishing them to follow him. At length, an apprentice hadoccasion to go to the stable; the dog followed him, and having drawnhis attention to the heap of rubbish under which the money was buried, began to scratch till he had brought the booty to view. The apprenticebrought it to his master, who marked the money and restored it to theplace where it had been hidden. Some of the marked money was soonafterwards found on the porter, who was taken before a magistrate, andconvicted of the theft. 

A Newfoundland dog, which was frequently to be seen in a tavern in theHigh Street of Glasgow, lay generally at the door. When any personcame to the house, he trotted before them into an apartment, rang thebell, and then resumed his station at the door. 

The great utility and sagacity of the Newfoundland dog, in cases ofdrowning, were shown in the following instance. Eleven sailors, awoman, and the waterman, had reached a sloop of war in Hamoaze in ashore-boat. One of the sailors, stooping rather suddenly over the sideof the boat to reach his hat, which had fallen into the sea, the boatcapsized, and they were all plunged into the water. A Newfoundlanddog, on the quarter-deck of the sloop, seeing the accident, instantlyleaped amongst the unfortunate persons, and seizing one man by thecollar of his coat, he supported his head above water until a boat hadhastened to the spot and saved the lives of all but the waterman. After delivering his burden in safety, the noble animal made a widecircuit round the ship in search of another person; but not findingone, he took up an oar in his mouth which was floating away, andbrought it to the side of the ship. 

A sailor, attended by a Newfoundland dog, became so intoxicated, thathe fell on the pavement in Piccadilly, and was unable to rise, andsoon fell asleep. The faithful dog took a position at his master'shead, and resisted every attempt made to remove him. The man, havingat last slept off the fumes of his intoxicating libations, awoke, andbeing told of the care his dog had taken of him, exclaimed, "This isnot the first time he has kept watch over me. "

On Thursday evening, January 28, 1858, as the play of "Jessie Vere"was being performed at Woolwich Theatre, and when a scene in the thirdact had been reached, in which a "terrific struggle" for thepossession of a child takes place between the fond mother and two"hired ruffians, " a large Newfoundland dog, which had by some meansgained admittance with its owner into the pit, leaped over the headsof the musicians in the orchestra, and flew to the rescue, seizing oneof the assassins, and almost dragging him to the ground. It was withdifficulty removed, and dragged off the stage. The dog, which is theproperty of the chief engineer of Her Majesty's ship Buffalo, has beenhabitually accustomed to the society of children, for whom he has onmany occasions evinced strong proofs of affection. 

Mr. Bewick, in his history of Quadrupeds, mentions some instances ofthe sagacity and intellect of Newfoundland dogs; and it may not beuninteresting to the admirers of that celebrated wood-engraver to beinformed, on the authority of his daughters, that the group on thebridge in his print of the Newfoundland dog represents Mr. Preston, aPrinter of Newcastle, Mr. Vint, of Whittingham, Mr. Bell, HouseSteward, and Mr. Bewick. Their initials, P. V. B. And B. , areintroduced in the woodcut. The dog was drawn at Eslington, the seat ofMr. Liddell, the eldest son of Lord Ravensworth. [N]

In Newfoundland, this dog is invaluable, and answers the purpose of ahorse. He is docile, capable of strong attachment, and is easy toplease in the quality of his food, as he will live on scraps of boiledfish, either salted or fresh, and on boiled potatoes and cabbage. Thenatural colour of this dog is black, with the exception of a very fewwhite spots. Their sagacity is sometimes so extraordinary, as on manyoccasions to show that they only want the faculty of speech to makethemselves fully understood. 

The Rev. L. Anspach, in his history of the Island of Newfoundland, mentions some instances of this intelligence. 

One of the Magistrates of Harbour-Grace, the late Mr. Garland, had anold dog, which was in the habit of carrying a lantern before hismaster at night, as steadily as the most attentive servant could do;stopping short when his master made a stop, and proceeding when he sawhim disposed to follow him. If his master was absent from home, on thelantern being fixed to his mouth, and the command given, "Go, fetchyour master, " he would immediately set off and proceed directly to thetown, which lay at the distance of more than a mile from the place ofhis master's residence. He would then stop at the door of every housewhich he knew his master was in the habit of frequenting, and, layingdown his lantern, would growl and strike the door, making all thenoise in his power until it was opened. If his master was not there, he would proceed further until he had found him. If he accompanied himonly once into a house, it was sufficient to induce him to take thathouse in his round. 

The principal use of this animal in Newfoundland, in addition to hisqualities as a good watch-dog and a faithful companion, is to assistin fetching from the woods the _lumber_ intended either for repairingthe fish stages, or for fuel; and this is done by dragging it on thesnow or ice, or else on sledges, the dog being tackled to it. 

These animals bark only when strongly provoked. They are notquarrelsome, but treat the smaller species with a great degree ofpatience and forbearance. They will defend their masters on seeing theleast appearance of an attack on his person. The well-known partialityof these dogs for the water, in which they appear as if in theirproper element, diving and keeping their heads under the surface for aconsiderable time, seems to give them some connexion with the class ofamphibious animals. At the same time, the several instances of theirsuperior sagacity, and the essential services which they have beenfrequently known to render to humanity, give them a distinguished rankin the scale of the brute creation. I will mention another instance ofthis. 

The Durham packet of Sunderland was, in 1815, wrecked near Clay, inNorfolk. A faithful dog was employed to use his efforts to carry thelead-line on shore from the vessel; but there being a very heavy sea, and a deep beach, it appeared that the drawback of the surf was toopowerful for the animal to contend with. Mr. Parker, ship-builder, ofWells, and Mr. Jackson, jun. , of Clay, who were on the spot, observingthis, instantly rushed into the sea, which was running very high, andgallantly succeeded, though at a great risk, in catching hold of thedog, which was much exhausted, but which had all this time kept theline in his mouth. The line being thus obtained, a communication withthe vessel was established; and a warp being passed from the ship tothe shore, the lives of all on board, nine in number, including twochildren, were saved. 

Some dogs are of an extremely jealous disposition; and the followingextraordinary instance of it was communicated to me by Mr. CharlesDavis, the well-known and highly-respected huntsman of Her Majesty'sstag-hounds, a man who has gained many friends, and perhaps never lostone, by his well-regulated conduct and sporting qualifications. 

He informed me that a friend of his had a fine Newfoundland dog, whichwas a great favourite with the family. While this dog was confined inthe yard, a pet lamb was given to one of the children, which theformer soon discovered to be sharing a great portion of those caresseswhich he had been in the habit of receiving. This circumstanceproduced so great an effect on the poor animal, that he refused toeat, and fretted till he became extremely unwell. Thinking thatexercise might be of use to him, he was let loose. No sooner was thisdone, than the dog watched his opportunity, and seized the lamb in hismouth. He was seen conveying it down a lane, about a quarter of a milefrom his master's house, at the bottom of which the river Thamesflowed. On arriving at it, he held the lamb under water till it wasdrowned, and thus effectually got rid of his rival. On examining thelamb, it did not appear to have been bitten, or otherwise injured; andit might almost be supposed that the dog had chosen the easiest deathin removing the object of his dislike. 

The sense of these animals is, indeed, perfectly wonderful. Alieutenant in the navy informed me, that while his ship was under sailin the Mediterranean, a favourite canary bird escaped from its cage, and flew into the sea. A Newfoundland dog on board witnessed thecircumstance, immediately jumped into the sea, and swam to the bird, which he seized in his mouth, and then swam back with it to the ship. On arriving on board and opening the dog's mouth, it was found thatthe bird was perfectly uninjured, so tenderly had it been treated, asthough the dog had been aware that the slightest pressure would havedestroyed it. 

Mr. Youatt, whose remarks on the usefulness and good qualities of theinferior animals, in his work on Humanity to Brutes, do him so muchcredit, gives the following anecdote as a proof of the reasoning powerof a Newfoundland dog. 

Wanting one day to go through a tall iron gate, from one part of hispremises to another, he found a lame puppy lying just within it, sothat he could not get in without rolling the poor animal over, andperhaps injuring it. Mr. Youatt stood for awhile hesitating what todo, and at length determined to go round through another gate. A fineNewfoundland dog, however, who had been waiting patiently for hiswonted caresses, and perhaps wondering why his master did not get inas usual, looked accidentally down at his lame companion. Hecomprehended the whole business in a moment--put down his great paw, and as gently and quickly as possible rolled the invalid out of theway, and then drew himself back in order to leave room for the openingof the gate. 

We may be inclined to deny reasoning faculties to dogs; but if thiswas not reason, it may be difficult to define what else it could be. 

Mr. Youatt also says, that his own experience furnishes him with aninstance of the memory and gratitude of a Newfoundland dog, who wasgreatly attached to him. He says, as it became inconvenient to him tokeep the dog, he gave him to one who he knew would treat him kindly. Four years passed, and he had not seen him; when one day, as he waswalking towards Kingston, and had arrived at the brow of the hillwhere Jerry Abershaw's gibbet then stood, he met Carlo and his master. The dog recollected Mr. Youatt in a moment, and they made much of eachother. His master, after a little chat, proceeded towards Wandsworth, and Carlo, as in duty bound, followed him. Mr. Youatt had not, however, got half-way down the hill when the dog was again at hisside, lowly but deeply growling, and every hair bristling. On lookingabout, he saw two ill-looking fellows making their way through thebushes, which occupied the angular space between Roehampton andWandsworth roads. Their intention was scarcely questionable, and, indeed, a week or two before, he had narrowly escaped from twomiscreants like them. "I can scarcely say, " proceeds Mr. Youatt, "whatI felt; for presently one of the scoundrels emerged from the bushes, not twenty yards from me; but he no sooner saw my companion, and heardhis growling, the loudness and depth of which were fearfullyincreasing, than he retreated, and I saw no more of him or of hisassociate. My gallant defender accompanied me to the direction-post atthe bottom of the hill, and there, with many a mutual and honestgreeting, we parted, and he bounded away to overtake his rightfulowner. We never met again; but I need not say that I often thought ofhim with admiration and gratitude. "

It is pleasing to record such instances of kindness in a brute. Herewe see a recollection of, and gratitude for, previous good treatment, and that towards one whom the dog had not seen for four years. Thereis a sort of bewilderment in the human mind, when we come to analysethe feelings, affections, and peculiar instinctive faculties of dogs. A French writer (Mons. Blaze) has asserted, that the dog mostundoubtedly has all the qualities of a man possessed of good feeling, and adds that man has not the fine qualities of the dog. We make avirtue of that gratitude which is nothing more than a duty incumbentupon us, while it is an inherent quality in the dog. 

 "Canis gratus est, et amicitiæ memor. "

We repudiate ingratitude, and yet every one is more or less guilty ofit. Indeed, where shall we find the man who is free from it? Take, however, the first dog you meet with, and the moment he has adoptedyou for his master, from that moment you are sure of his gratitudeand affection. He will love you without calculating what he shall gainby it--his greatest pleasure will be to be near you--and should you bereduced to beg your bread, no poverty will induce him to abandon you. Your friends may, and probably will, do so--the object of your loveand attachment will not, perhaps, like to encounter poverty with you. Your wife, by some possibility (it is a rare case, however, if she hasreceived kind treatment) may forget her vows, but your dog will neverleave you--he will either die at your feet, or if he should surviveyou, will accompany you to the grave. 

An intelligent correspondent, to whom I am indebted for some sensibleremarks on the faculties of dogs, has remarked that large-headed dogsare generally possessed of superior faculties to others. This factfavours the phrenological opinion that size of brain is evidence ofsuperior power. He has a dog possessing a remarkably large head, andfew dogs can match him in intelligence. He is a cross with theNewfoundland breed, and besides his cleverness in the field as aretriever, he shows his sagacity at home in the performance of severaluseful feats. One consists in carrying messages. If a neighbour is tobe communicated with, the dog is always ready to be the bearer of aletter. He will take orders to the workmen who reside at a shortdistance from the house, and will scratch impatiently at their doorwhen so employed, although at other times, desirous of sharing thewarmth of their kitchen fire, he would wait patiently, and thenentering with a seriousness befitting the imagined importance of hismission, would carefully deliver the note, never returning withouthaving discharged his trust. His usefulness in recovering articlesaccidentally lost has often been proved. As he is not always allowedto be present at dinner, he will bring a hat, book, or anything he canfind, and hold it in his mouth as a sort of apology for his intrusion. He seems pleased at being allowed to lead his master's horse to thestable. 

Newfoundland dogs may readily be taught to rescue drowning persons. InFrance, this forms a part of their education, and they are now kept inreadiness on the banks of the Seine, where they form a sort of HumaneSociety Corps. By throwing the stuffed figure of a man into a river, and requiring the dog to fetch it out, he is soon taught to do so whennecessary, and thus he is able to rescue drowning persons. This hintmight not be thrown away on our own excellent Humane Society. 

Many dogs are called of the Newfoundland breed who have but smallrelationship with that sensible animal. The St. John's and Labradordogs are also very different from each other. The former is strong inhis limbs, rough-haired, small in the head, and carries his tail veryhigh. The other, by far the best for every kind of shooting, isoftener black than of another colour, and scarcely bigger than apointer. He is made rather long in the head and nose, pretty deep inthe chest, very fine in the legs, has short or smooth hair, does notcarry his tail so much curled as the other, and is extremely quick andactive in running, swimming, or fighting. The St. John's breed ofthese dogs is chiefly used on their native coast by fishermen. Theirsense of smelling is scarcely to be credited. Their discrimination ofscent, in following a wounded pheasant through a whole covert full ofgame, appears almost impossible. 

The real Newfoundland dog may be broken into any kind of shooting, and, without additional instruction, is generally under such command, that he may be safely kept in, if required to be taken out withpointers. For finding wounded game of every description there is nothis equal in the canine race, and he is a _sine quâ non_ in thegeneral pursuit of wildfowl. These dogs should be treated gently, andmuch encouraged when required to do anything, as their faults areeasily checked. If used roughly, they are apt to turn sulky. They willalso recollect and avenge an injury. A traveller on horseback, inpassing through a small village in Cumberland, observed a Newfoundlanddog reposing by the side of the road, and from mere wantonness gavehim a blow with his whip. The animal made a violent rush at andpursued him a considerable distance. Having to proceed through thesame place the next journey, which was about twelve months afterwards, and while in the act of leading his horse, the dog, no doubtrecollecting his former assailant, instantly seized him by the boot, and bit his leg. Some persons, however, coming up, rescued him fromfurther injury. 

A gamekeeper had a Newfoundland dog which he used as a retriever. Shooting in a wood one day, he killed a pheasant, which fell at somedistance, and he sent his dog for it. When half way to the bird, hesuddenly returned, refusing to go beyond the place at which he hadfirst stopped. This being an unusual circumstance, the man endeavouredmore and more to enforce his command; which being unable to effect, either by words or his whip, he at last, in a great passion, gave thedog a violent kick in the ribs, which laid it dead at his feet. Hethen proceeded to pick up the bird, and on returning from the spot, discovered a man concealed in the thicket. He immediately seized him, and upon examination, several snares were found on his person. Thismay be a useful hint to those who are apt to take violent measureswith their dogs. 

A gentleman who had a country house near London, discovered onarriving at it one day that he had brought away a key, which would bewanted by his family in town. Having an intelligent Newfoundland dog, which had been accustomed to carry things, he sent him back with it. While passing with the key, the animal was attacked by a butcher'sdog, against which he made no resistance, but got away from him. Aftersafely delivering the key, he returned to rejoin his master, butstopped in the way at the butcher's shop, whose dog again salliedforth. The Newfoundland this time attacked him with a fury, whichnothing but revenge could have inspired, nor did he quit the aggressortill he had killed him. 

The following fact affords another proof of the extraordinary sagacityof these dogs. 

A Newfoundland dog of the true breed was brought from that country, and given to a gentleman who resided near Thames Street, in London. Ashe had no means of keeping the animal, except in close confinement, hesent him to a friend in Scotland by a Berwick smack. When he arrivedin Scotland he took the first opportunity of escaping, and though hecertainly had never before travelled one yard of the road, he foundhis way back to his former residence on Fishstreet Hill; but in soexhausted a state, that he could only express his joy at seeing hismaster, and then died. 

So wonderful is the sense of these dogs, that I have heard of threeinstances in which they have voluntarily guarded the bed-chamber doorsof their mistresses, during the whole night, in the absence of theirmasters, although on no other occasion did they approach them. 

The Romans appear to have had a dog, which seems to have been verysimilar in character to our Newfoundland. In the Museum at Naplesthere is an antique bronze, discovered amongst the ruins ofHerculaneum, which represents two large dogs dragging from the seasome apparently drowned persons. 

The following interesting fact affords another instance of thesagacity and good feeling of the Newfoundland dog:--

In the year 1841, as a labourer, named Rake, in the parish of Botley, near Southampton, was at work in a gravel-pit, the top stratum gaveway, and he was buried up to his neck by the great quantity of gravelwhich fell upon him. He was at the same time so much hurt, two of hisribs being broken, that he found it impossible to make any attempt toextricate himself from his perilous situation. Indeed, nothing couldbe more fearful than the prospect before him. No one was withinhearing of his cries, nor was any one likely to come near the spot. Hemust almost inevitably have perished, had it not been for aNewfoundland dog belonging to his employer. This animal had beenwatching the man at his work for some days, as if he had been awarethat his assistance would be required; for no particular attachment toeach other had been exhibited on either side. As soon, however, as theaccident occurred, the dog jumped into the pit, and commenced removingthe gravel with his paws; and this he did in so vigorous andexpeditious a manner, that the poor man was at length able to liberatehimself, though with extreme difficulty. What an example of kindness, sensibility, and I may add reason, does this instance afford us!

A gentleman in Ireland had a remarkably fine and intelligentNewfoundland dog, named Boatswain, whose acts were the constant themeof admiration. On one occasion, an aged lady who resided in the house, and the mother-in-law of the owner of the dog, was indisposed andconfined to her bed. The old lady was tired of chickens and otherproductions of the farmyard, and a consultation was held in her roomas to what could be procured to please her fancy for dinner. Variousthings were mentioned and declined, in the midst of which Boatswain, who was greatly attached to the old lady, entered her room with a fineyoung rabbit in his mouth, which he laid at the foot of the bed, wagging his tail with great exultation. It is not meant to infer thatthe dog knew anything of the difficulty of finding a dinner to thelady's taste, but seeing her distressed in mind and body, it is notimprobable that he had brought his offering in the hopes of pleasingher. 

On another occasion, his master found this dog early one summer'smorning keeping watch over an unfortunate countryman, who was standingwith his back to a wall in the rear of the premises, pale with terror. He was a simple, honest creature, living in the neighbourhood. Havingto attend some fair or market, about four o'clock in the morning, hemade a short cut through the grounds, which were under the protectionof Boatswain, who drove the intruder to the wall, and kept him there, showing his teeth, and giving a growl whenever he offered to stirfrom the spot. In this way he was kept a prisoner till the owner ofthe faithful animal released him. 

There was a Newfoundland dog on board H. M. S. Bellona, which kept thedeck during the battle of Copenhagen, running backward and forwardwith so brave an anger, that he became a greater favourite with themen than ever. When the ship was paid off, after the peace of Amiens, the sailors had a parting dinner on shore. Victor was placed in thechair, and fed with roast beef and plum-pudding, and the bill was madeout in Victor's name. This anecdote is taken from Southey's "Omniana. "

I am indebted to a kind correspondent for the following anecdotes:--

"A friend of mine, who in the time of the war commanded the SeaFencibles, in the neighbourhood of Southend, possessed in those days amagnificent Newfoundland dog, named Venture. This noble creature myfriend was accustomed to take with him in the pursuit of wild fowl. One cold evening, after having tolerable sport, the dog was suddenlymissed; he had been last seen when in pursuit of a winged bird. As theice was floating in the river, and the dog was true to his name, andwould swim any distance for the recovery of wounded game, it wasfeared he must have fallen a victim to the hazards of the sport, andhis owner returned home in consequence much dispirited. On his arrivalat his house, what was his extreme surprise, on entering thedrawing-room, to find his wife accompanied by the dog, and a finemallard lying on the table: the lady had, on her part, beenoverwhelmed with anxiety by the dog's having returned alone some timebefore, knowing the frequently perilous amusement in which her husbandhad embarked. The dog had straight on his return rushed to thedrawing-room where the lady sat, and had laid the wild duck at herfeet, having brought it safely in his mouth several miles. 

"A gentleman once sent a coat to the tailor to be mended--it was leftupon a counter in the shop. His dog had accompanied the servant to thetailor's. The animal watched his opportunity, pulled the coat downfrom the counter, and brought it home in triumph to his master. 

"There is a tendency in the pride of man to deny the power ofreasoning in animals, while it is the belief of some that reason isoften a more sure guide to the brute beast, for the purposes designedby Providence, than that of their detractors. The fact is, I think, few persons who reflect deny the power, in a degree, to the lessgifted of Nature's works. Certainly not some of the wisest of ourrace. Bishop Butler in his 'Analogy, ' I think, assumes it; while thefollowing beautiful inscription, designed for the epitaph of afavourite Newfoundland dog, was penned by no less a person than thelate wise and venerable Earl of Eldon: from it his views on thissubject may, I fancy, be easily discerned. They are published in thelife of him, written by Horace Twiss:--

 'You who wander hither, Pass not unheeded The spot where poor Cæsar Is deposited. 

 * * * *

 To his rank among created beings The power of reasoning is denied! Cæsar manifested joy, For days before his master Arrived at Encombe; Cæsar manifested grief For days before his master left it. What name shall be given To that faculty, Which thus made expectation A source of joy, Which thus made expectation A source of grief?'"

[Illustration]

[Illustration: THE COLLEY, OR SHEPHERD'S DOG. ]

THE COLLEY, OR SHEPHERD'S DOG. 

 "My dog (the trustiest of his kind) With gratitude inflames my mind: I mark his true, his faithful way, And in my service copy Tray. "--GAY. 

Who that has seen has not been delighted with the charming picture byMr. Landseer of the shepherd's dog, resting his head on the coffinwhich contained the body of his dead master! Grief, fidelity, andaffection are so strongly portrayed in the countenance of the poordog, that they cannot be mistaken. We may fancy him to have been theconstant companion of the old shepherd through many a dreary day ofrain, and frost, and snow on the neighbouring hills, gathering thescattered flock with persevering industry, and receiving the reward ofhis exertions in the approbation of his master. On returning to thehumble cottage at night, he partakes of the "shepherd's scanty fare;"and then, coiled up before the flickering light of a few collectedsticks, cold and shivering with wet, he awakes to greet his master atthe first glimmering of morn, and is ready to renew his toils. Poordog! what a lesson do you afford to those who are incapable of yourgratitude, fidelity, and affection! and what justice has the charmingartist done to these noble qualities! I trust he will receive thisfanciful description of his dog as a little tribute paid to histalents, as well as to his good feeling. 

The late Mr. Satterthwaite, grandfather of Thomas Rogerson, Esq. , ofLiverpool and Ballamillaghyn, Isle of Man, who died some years ago atCoulthouse, near Hawkshead, soon after his marriage, resided near theLow Wood Inn, on the borders of Windermere Lake. He left home earlyone morning, accompanied by his shepherd's dog, to look after somesheep on the mountains near Rydal, about four miles distant; anddiscovering two at the bottom of a precipice between two rocks hedescended, with the view of extricating them; but when he got to thebottom, he could neither assist them nor get up himself, and there hewas confined until midnight. The faithful dog remained at the top ofthe precipice watching his master; but at nightfall he proceeded home, scratched the door, and was let in by his mistress, who expressed hersurprise at the barking of the dog and non-arrival of her husband. Shehad no sooner sat down than the dog ran barking towards her, and thenwent to the door: but as she did not follow, the dog ran to her again, seized her apron, and endeavoured to pull her to the door; whichcircumstance caused her to suppose some accident had befallen herhusband. She immediately called up the servant-man, and told him shewas sure, from the strange conduct of the dog, that something musthave happened to his master. She told the man to take a lantern andsome ropes, and follow the dog, taking care to get assistance atAmbleside; which he did. No sooner had the man opened the door thanthe dog bounded out, leaped up at him, barked, and then ran forward, but quickly returned, leaped up again, barked, and then ran forward, as if to hasten the man's speed. The faithful dog led the man and hiscompanions to the prison of his master. The ropes were instantlylowered, and Mr. Satterthwaite was providentially released from hisperilous situation. The sheep also were recovered. 

How well do I recollect the Ettrick Shepherd descanting on thesagacity and perseverance of his favourite sheep-dog! His name wasSirrah, and he told me the following extraordinary anecdote of him, which I give in his own words:--

"About seven hundred lambs, which were once under my care at weaningtime, broke up at midnight, and scampered off in three divisionsacross the hills, in spite of all that I and an assistant lad could doto keep them together. 'Sirrah, my man!' said I in great affliction, 'they are awa'. ' The night was so dark that I could not see Sirrah, but the faithful animal heard my words--words such as of all otherswere sure to set him most on the alert; and without much ado hesilently set off in search of the recreant flock. Meanwhile I and mycompanion did not fail to do all in our power to recover our lostcharge. We spent the whole night in scouring the hills for milesaround, but of neither the lambs nor Sirrah could we obtain theslightest trace. It was the most extraordinary circumstance that hadoccurred in my pastoral life. We had nothing for it (day havingdawned), but to return to our master, and inform him that we had losthis whole flock of lambs, and knew not what had become of them. On ourway home, however, we discovered a body of lambs at the bottom of adeep ravine, called the Flesh Cleuch, and the indefatigable Sirrahstanding in front of them, looking all around for some relief, butstill standing true to his charge. The sun was then up; and when wefirst came in view of them, we concluded that it was one of thedivisions which Sirrah had been unable to manage until he came tothat commanding situation. But what was our astonishment, when wediscovered by degrees that not one lamb of the whole flock waswanting! How he had got all the divisions collected in the dark, isbeyond my comprehension. The charge was left entirely to himself, frommidnight until the rising of the sun; and if all the shepherds in theforest had been there to have assisted him, they could not haveeffected it with greater propriety. All that I can farther say is, that I never felt so grateful to any creature below the sun, as I didto my honest Sirrah that morning. "

"I once sent you, " says Mr. Hogg, some years later, in a letter to theEditor of "Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, " "an account of a notabledog of my own, named Sirrah, which amused a number of your readers agreat deal, and put their faith in my veracity somewhat to the test;but in this district, where the singular qualities of the animal wereknown, so far from any of the anecdotes being disputed, every shepherdvalues himself to this day on the possession of facts far outstrippingany of those recorded by you formerly. With a few of these I shallconclude this paper. But, in the first place, I must give you someaccount of my own renowned Hector, which I promised long ago. He wasthe son and immediate successor of the faithful old Sirrah; and thoughnot nearly so valuable a dog as his father, he was a far moreinteresting one. He had three times more humour and whim about him;and though exceedingly docile, his bravest acts were mostly tincturedwith a grain of stupidity, which showed his reasoning faculty to belaughably obtuse. 

"I shall mention a striking instance of it. I was once at the farm ofShorthope on Ettrick Head, receiving some lambs that I had bought, andwas going to take to market, with some more, the next day. Owing tosome accidental delay, I did not get final delivery of the lambs tillit was growing late; and being obliged to be at my own house thatnight, I was not a little dismayed lest I should scatter and lose mylambs if darkness overtook me. Darkness did overtake me by the time Igot half-way, and no ordinary darkness for an August evening. Thelambs having been weaned that day, and of the wild black-faced breed, became exceedingly unruly, and for a good while I lost hopes ofmastering them. Hector managed the point, and we got them safe home;but both he and his master were alike sore forefoughten. It had becomeso dark that we were obliged to fold them with candles; and, afterclosing them safely up, I went home with my father and the rest tosupper. When Hector's supper was set down, behold he was awanting! andas I knew we had him at the fold, which was within call of the house, I went out and called and whistled on him for a good while, but he didnot make his appearance. I was distressed about this; for, having totake away the lambs next morning, I knew I could not drive them amile without my dog if it had been to save the whole drove. 

"The next morning, as soon as it was day, I arose and inquired ifHector had come home? No; he had not been seen. I knew not what to do;but my father proposed that he would take out the lambs and herd them, and let them get some meat to fit them for the road, and that I shouldride with all speed to Shorthope to see if my dog had gone back there. Accordingly we went together to the fold to turn out the lambs, andthere was poor Hector, sitting trembling in the very middle of thefold-door, on the inside of the flake that closed it, with his eyesstill steadfastly fixed on the lambs. He had been so hardly set withthem after it grew dark, that he durst not for his life leave them, although hungry, fatigued, and cold, for the night had turned out adeluge of rain. He had never so much as lain down; for only the smallspot that he sat on was dry, and there had he kept watch the wholenight. Almost any other colley would have discerned that the lambswere safe enough in the fold, but honest Hector had not been able tosee through this. He even refused to take my word for it; for he wouldnot quit his watch, though he heard me calling both at night andmorning. 

"Another peculiarity of his was, that he had a mortal antipathy to thefamily-mouser, which was ingrained in his nature from his verypuppyhood; yet so perfectly absurd was he, that no impertinence onher side, and no baiting on, could ever induce him to lay his mouthon her, or injure her in the slightest degree. There was not a day andscarcely an hour passed over, that the family did not get someamusement with these two animals. Whenever he was within doors, hiswhole occupation was watching and _pointing_ the cat from morning tonight. When she flitted from one place to another, so did he in amoment; and then squatting down, he kept his _point_ sedulously, tillhe was either called off or fell asleep. 

"He was an exceedingly poor eater of meat, always had to be pressed toit, and often would not take it till we brought in the cat. Themalicious looks that he cast at her from under his eyebrows on suchoccasions were exceedingly ludicrous, considering his utterdisinclination to injure her. Whenever he saw her, he drew near hisbicker and looked angry; but still he would not taste till she wasbrought to it, and then he cocked his tail, set up his birses, andbegan lapping furiously as if in utter desperation. His good nature, however, was so immovable, that he would never refuse her a share ofwhat was placed before him; he even lapped close to the one side ofthe dish, and left her room, --but mercy! how he did ply!

"It will appear strange to you to hear a dog's reasoning facultymentioned as I have done; but I declare I have hardly ever seen ashepherd's dog do anything without believing that I perceived hisreasons for it. I have often amused myself in calculating what hismotives were for such and such things, and I generally found them verycogent ones. But Hector had a droll stupidity about him, and took upforms and rules of his own, for which I could never perceive anymotive that was not even farther out of the way than the actionitself. He had one uniform practice, and a very bad one it was; duringthe time of family worship, and just three or four seconds before theconclusion of the prayer, he started to his feet and ran barking roundthe apartment like a crazed beast. My father was so much amused withthis, that he would never suffer me to correct him for it, and Iscarcely ever saw the old man rise from the prayer without hisendeavouring to suppress a smile at the extravagance of Hector. Noneof us ever could find out how he knew that the prayer was near done, for my father was not formal in his prayers; but certes he didknow, --and of that we had nightly evidence. There never was anythingfor which I was so puzzled to discover a motive as this, but fromaccident I did discover it; and, however ludicrous it may appear, I amcertain I was correct. It was much in character with many of Hector'sfeats, and rather, I think, the most _outré_ of any principle he everacted on. As I said, his great daily occupation was pointing the cat. Now, when he saw us kneel all down in a circle, with our faces couchedon our paws, in the same posture with himself, it struck his absurdhead that we were all engaged in pointing the cat. He lay on tentersall the while, but the acuteness of his ear enabling him, throughtime, to ascertain the very moment when we would all spring to ourfeet, he thought to himself, 'I shall be first after her, for youall. '

"He inherited his dad's unfortunate ear for music, not perhaps in soextravagant a degree, but he ever took care to exhibit it on the mostuntimely and ill-judged occasions. Owing to some misunderstandingbetween the minister of the parish and the session-clerk, theprecenting in church devolved on my father, who was the senior elder. Now, my father could have sung several of the old church-tunesmiddling well in his own family-circle; but it so happened that, whenmounted in the desk, he never could command the starting notes of anybut one (St. Paul's), which were always in undue readiness at the rootof his tongue, to the exclusion of every other semibreve in the wholerange of sacred melody. The minister gave out psalms four times in thecourse of every day's service; consequently the congregation weretreated with St. Paul's in the morning at great length, twice in thecourse of the service, and then once again at the close. Nothing butSt. Paul's. And it being itself a monotonous tune, nothing couldexceed the monotony that prevailed in the primitive church of Ettrick. Out of pure sympathy for my father alone, I was compelled to take theprecentorship in hand; and having plenty of tunes, for a good while Icame on as well as could be expected, as men say of their wives. But, unfortunately for me, Hector found out that I attended church everySunday, and though I had him always closed up carefully at home, herarely failed in making his appearance in church at some time of theday. Whenever I saw him a tremor came over my spirits, for I well knewwhat the issue would be. The moment that he heard my voice strike upthe psalm 'with might and majesty, ' then did he fall in with suchoverpowering vehemence, that he and I seldom got any to join in themusic but our two selves. The shepherds hid their heads, and laid themdown on the backs of their seats rowed in their plaids, and the lasseslooked down to the ground and laughed till their faces grew red. Idespised to _stick_ the tune, and therefore was obliged to carry on inspite of the obstreperous accompaniment; but I was, time after time, so completely put out of all countenance with the brute, that I wasobliged to give up my office in disgust, and leave the parish oncemore to their old friend, St. Paul. 

"Hector was quite incapable of performing the same feats among sheepthat his father did; but, as far as his judgment served him, he was adocile and obliging creature. He had one singular quality, of keepingtrue to the charge to which he was set. If we had been shearing, orsorting sheep in any way, when a division was turned out and Hectorgot the word to attend to them, he would have done it pleasantly fora whole day without the least symptom of weariness. No noise or hurryabout the fold, which brings every other dog from his business, hadthe least effect on Hector, save that it made him a little troublesomeon his own charge, and set him a-running round and round them, turningthem in at corners, from a sort of impatience to be employed as wellas his baying neighbours at the fold. Whenever old Sirrah foundhimself hard set in commanding wild sheep on steep ground, where theyare worst to manage, he never failed, without any hint to the purpose, to throw himself wide in below them, and lay their faces to the hill, by which means he got the command of them in a minute. I never couldmake Hector comprehend this advantage with all my art, although hisfather found it out entirely of himself. The former would turn or wearsheep no other way but on the hill above them; and, though very goodat it, he gave both them and himself double the trouble and fatigue. 

"It cannot be supposed that he could understand all that was passingin the little family circle, but he certainly comprehended a good partof it. In particular, it was very easy to discover that he rarelymissed aught that was said about himself, the sheep, the cat, or of ahunt. When aught of that nature came to be discussed, Hector'sattention and impatience soon became manifest. There was one winterevening I said to my mother that I was going to Bowerhope for afortnight, for that I had more conveniency for writing with AlexanderLaidlaw than at home; and I added, 'But I will not take Hector withme, for he is constantly quarrelling with the rest of the dogs, singing music, or breeding some uproar. ' 'Na, na, ' quoth she, 'leaveHector with me; I like aye best to have him at hame, poor fallow. '

"These were all the words that passed. The next morning the waterswere in a great flood, and I did not go away till after breakfast; butwhen the time came for tying up Hector, he was a-wanting. 'The deil'sin that beast, ' said I, --'I will wager that he heard what we weresaying yesternight, and has gone off for Bowerhope as soon as the doorwas opened this morning. '

"'If that should really be the case, I'll think the beast no canny, 'said my mother. 

"The Yarrow was so large as to be quite impassable, so that I had towalk up by St. Mary's Loch, and go across by the boat; and, on drawingnear to Bowerhope, I soon perceived that matters had gone precisely asI suspected. Large as the Yarrow was, and it appeared impassable byany living creature, Hector had made his escape early in the morning, had swam the river, and was sitting, 'like a drookit hen, ' on a knollat the east end of the house, awaiting my arrival with greatimpatience. I had a great attachment to this animal, who, to a gooddeal of absurdity, joined all the amiable qualities of his species. Hewas rather of a small size, very rough and shagged, and not far fromthe colour of a fox. 

"His son Lion was the very picture of his dad, had a good deal moresagacity, but also more selfishness. A history of the one, however, would only be an epitome of that of the other. Mr. WilliamNicholson[O] took a fine likeness of this latter one, which he stillpossesses. He could not get him to sit for his picture in such aposition as he wanted, till he exhibited a singularly fine portrait ofa small dog, on the opposite side of the room. Lion took it for a realanimal, and, disliking its fierce and important look exceedingly, heimmediately set up his ears and his shaggy birses, and, fixing a sterneye on the picture in manifest wrath, he would then sit for a wholeday and point at it without budging or altering his position. 

"It is a curious fact in the history of these animals, that the mostuseless of the breed have often the greatest degree of sagacity intrifling and useless matters. An exceedingly good sheep-dog attends tonothing else but that particular branch of business to which he isbred. His whole capacity is exerted and exhausted on it, and he is oflittle avail in miscellaneous matters; whereas, a very indifferentcur, bred about the house, and accustomed to assist in every thing, will often put the more noble breed to disgrace in those paltryservices. If one calls out, for instance, that the cows are in thecorn, or the hens in the garden, the house-colley needs no other hint, but runs and turns them out. The shepherd's dog knows not what isastir; and, if he is called out in a hurry for such work, all that hewill do is to break to the hill, and rear himself up on end to see ifno sheep are running away. A bred sheep-dog, if coming hungry from thehills, and getting into a milk-house, would most likely think ofnothing else than filling his belly with the cream. Not so hisuninitiated brother; he is bred at home to far higher principles ofhonour. I have known such lie night and day among from ten to twentypails full of milk, and never once break the cream of one of them withthe tip of his tongue, nor would he suffer cat, rat, or any othercreature to touch it. This latter sort, too, are far more acute attaking up what is said in a family. 

"The anecdotes of these animals are all so much alike, that were I butto relate the thousandth part of those I have heard, they would oftenlook very much like repetitions. I shall therefore, in this paper, only mention one or two of the most singular, which I know to be wellauthenticated. 

"There was a shepherd lad near Langholm, whose name was Scott, whopossessed a bitch famed over all the West Border for her singulartractability. He could have sent her home with one sheep, two sheep, or any given number, from any of the neighbouring farms; and, in thelambing season, it was his uniform practice to send her home with thekebbed ewes just as he got them. I must let the town reader understandthis. A kebbed ewe is one whose lamb dies. As soon as such is found, she is immediately brought home by the shepherd, and another lamb putto her; and Scott, on going his rounds on the hill, whenever he founda kebbed ewe, immediately gave her in charge to his bitch to takehome, which saved him from coming back that way again and going overthe same ground he had visited before. She always took them carefullyhome, and put them into a fold which was close by the house, keepingwatch over them till she was seen by some one of the family; uponwhich she instantly decamped, and hastened back to her master, whosometimes sent her three times home in one morning with differentcharges. It was the custom of the farmer to watch her and take thesheep in charge from her: but this required a good deal of caution;for as soon as she perceived that she was seen, whether the sheep wereput into the fold or not, she concluded her charge was at an end, andno flattery could induce her to stay and assist in folding them. Therewas a display of accuracy and attention in this that I cannot say Ihave ever seen equalled. 

"The late Mr. Steel, flesher in Peebles, had a bitch that was fullyequal to the one mentioned above, and that, too, in the very samequalification. Her feats in taking sheep from the neighbouring farmsinto the Flesh-market at Peebles, form innumerable anecdotes in thatvicinity. But there is one related of her, that manifests so muchsagacity with natural affection, that I do not think the history ofthe animal creation furnishes such another. 

"Mr. Steel had such implicit dependence on the attention of thisanimal to his orders, that, whenever he put a lot of sheep before her, he took a pride in leaving them to herself, and either remained totake a glass with the farmer of whom he had made the purchase, or tookanother road to look after bargains or other business. But one time hechanced to commit a drove to her charge at a place called Willenslee, without attending to her condition as he ought to have done. This farmis five miles from Peebles, over wild hills, and there is no regularlydefined path to it. Whether Mr. Steel remained behind, or choseanother road, I know not; but, on coming home late in the evening, hewas astonished at hearing that his faithful animal had not made herappearance with the flock. He and his son, or servant, instantlyprepared to set out by different paths in search of her; but, on theirgoing out to the street, there was she coming with the drove, no onemissing; and, marvellous to relate, she was carrying a young pup inher mouth! She had been taken in travail on those hills; and how thepoor beast had contrived to manage the drove in her state ofsuffering is beyond human calculation, for her road lay through sheepthe whole way. Her master's heart smote him when he saw what she hadsuffered and effected: but she was nothing daunted; and havingdeposited her young one in a place of safety, she again set out fullspeed to the hills, and brought another and another, till she removedher whole litter one by one; but the last one was dead. 

"The stories related of the dogs of sheep-stealers are fairly beyondall credibility. I cannot attach credit to some of them withoutbelieving the animals to have been devils incarnate, come to the earthfor the destruction both of the souls and bodies of men. I cannotmention names, for the sake of families that still remain in thecountry; but there have been sundry men executed, who belonged to thisdistrict of the kingdom, for that heinous crime, in my own days; andothers have absconded, just in time to save their necks. There was notone of these to whom I allude who did not acknowledge his dog to bethe greatest aggressor. One young man in particular, who was, Ibelieve, overtaken by justice for his first offence, stated, thatafter he had folded the sheep by moonlight, and selected his numberfrom the flock of a former master, he took them out, and set away withthem towards Edinburgh. But before he had got them quite off the farm, his conscience smote him, as he said (but more likely a dread of thatwhich soon followed), and he quitted the sheep, letting them go againto the hill. He called his dog off them, and mounting his pony, herode away. At that time he said his dog was capering and playingaround him, as if glad of having got free of a troublesome business;and he regarded him no more, till, after having rode about threemiles, he thought again and again that he heard something coming upbehind him. Halting, at length, to ascertain what it was, in a fewminutes there comes his dog with the stolen animals, driving them at afurious rate to keep up with his master. The sheep were all smoking, and hanging out their tongues, and their guide was fully as warm asthey. The young man was now exceedingly troubled, for the sheep havingbeen brought so far from home, he dreaded there would be a pursuit, and he could not get them home again before day. Resolving, at allevents, to keep his hands clear of them, he corrected his dog in greatwrath, left the sheep once more, and taking colley with him, rode offa second time. He had not ridden above a mile, till he perceived thathis assistant had again given him the slip; and suspecting for whatpurpose, he was terribly alarmed as well as chagrined; for daylightnow approached, and he durst not make a noise calling on his dog, forfear of alarming the neighbourhood, in a place where they were bothwell known. He resolved therefore to abandon the animal to himself, and take a road across the country which he was sure the other did notknow, and could not follow. He took that road, but being on horseback, he could not get across the enclosed fields. He at length came to agate, which he shut behind him, and went about half a mile farther, bya zigzag course, to a farmhouse, where both his sister and sweetheartlived; and at that place he remained until after breakfast time. Thepeople of this house were all examined on the trial, and no one hadeither seen the sheep or heard them mentioned, save one man, who cameup to the aggressor as he was standing at the stable-door, and toldhim that his dog had the sheep safe enough down at the Crooked Yett, and he needed not hurry himself. He answered, that the sheep were nothis--they were young Mr. Thomson's, who had left them to his charge, and he was in search of a man to drive them, which made him come offhis road. 

"After this discovery, it was impossible for the poor fellow to getquit of them; so he went down and took possession of the stolen droveonce more, carried them on, and disposed of them; and, finally, thetransaction cost him his life. The dog, for the last four or fivemiles that he had brought the sheep, could have no other guide to theroad his master had gone but the smell of his pony's feet. I appeal toevery unprejudiced person if this was not as like one of the deil'stricks as an honest colley's. 

"It is also well known that there was a notorious sheep-stealer in thecounty of Mid-Lothian, who, had it not been for the skins and theheads, would never have been condemned, as he could, with thegreatest ease, have proved an _alibi_ every time suspicions wereentertained against him. He always went by one road, calling on hisacquaintances, and taking care to appear to everybody by whom he wasknown, while his dog went by another with the stolen sheep; and then, on the two felons meeting again, they had nothing more to do than turnthe sheep into an associate's enclosure, in whose house the dog waswell fed and entertained, and would have soon taken all the fat sheepon the Lothian edges to that house. This was likewise a female, ajet-black one, with a deep coat of soft hair, but smooth-headed, andvery strong and handsome in her make. On the disappearance of hermaster she lay about the hills and places where he had frequented, butshe never attempted to steal a drove by herself, nor the smallestthing for her own hand. She was kept some time by a relation of hermaster's, but never acting heartily in his service, soon cameprivately to an untimely end. Of this there is little doubt, althoughsome spread the report that one evening, after uttering two or threeloud howls, she instantly vanished! From such dogs as these, good Lorddeliver us!"

The following is, perhaps, a still more extraordinary anecdote of thefidelity shown by a sheep-dog to its charge. It was communicated byRobert Murray, shepherd to Mr. Samuel Richmond, Path of Coudie, nearDunning, in Perthshire. 

Murray had purchased for his master four score of sheep at the FalkirkTryst, but having occasion to stop another day, and confident in thefaithfulness and sagacity of his colley, which was a female, hecommitted the drove to her care, with orders to drive them home, --adistance of about seventeen miles. The poor animal, when a few mileson the road, dropped two whelps, but, faithful to her charge, shedrove the sheep on a mile or two further--then, allowing them to stop, returned for her pups, which she carried for about two miles inadvance of the sheep. Leaving her pups, the colley again returned forthe sheep, and drove them onwards a few miles. This she continued todo, alternately carrying her own young ones and taking charge of theflock, till she reached home. The manner of her acting on thisoccasion was afterwards gathered by the shepherd from variousindividuals, who had observed these extraordinary proceedings of thedumb animal on the road. However, when the colley reached her home, and delivered her charge, it was found that the two pups were dead. Inthis extremity, the instinct of the poor brute was, if possible, stillmore remarkable. She went to a rabbit-brae in the vicinity, and dugout of the earth two young rabbits, which she deposited on some strawin a barn, and continued to suckle for some time, until one of thefarm servants unluckily let down a full sack upon them and smotheredthem. 

The following anecdote is related by Captain Brown:--

A shepherd had driven a part of his flock to a neighbouring farm, leaving his dog to watch the remainder during that day and the nextnight, expecting to revisit them the following morning. Unfortunately, however, when at the fair, the shepherd forgot both his dog and hissheep, and did not return home till the morning of the third day. Hisfirst inquiry was, whether his dog had been seen? The answer was, No. "Then he must be dead, " replied the shepherd in a tone of anguish, "for I know he was too faithful to desert his charge. " He instantlyrepaired to the heath. The dog had sufficient strength remaining tocrawl to his master's feet, and express his joy at his return, andalmost immediately after expired. 

Mr. Blaine relates the following circumstance:--I remember watching ashepherd boy in Scotland, who was sitting on the bank of a wide butshallow stream. A sheep had strayed to a considerable distance on theother side of the water; the boy, calling to his dog, ordered him tofetch that sheep back, but to do it gently, for she was heavy in lamb. I do not affect to say that the dog understood the reason for which hewas commanded to perform this office in a more gentle manner thanusual; but that he did understand he was to do it gently was veryevident, for he immediately marched away through the water, camegently up to the side of the sheep, turned her towards the rest, andthen they both walked quietly side by side to the flock. I wasscarcely ever more pleased at a trifling incident in rural scenerythan this. 

The sense and recollection of the sheep-dog were shown in thefollowing instance:--

When I occupied a small farm in Surrey, I was in the habit of joiningwith a friend in the purchase of two hundred Cheviot sheep. The firstyear we had them, the shepherd who drove them from the North was askedby us how he had got on. "Why, very badly, " said the man; "for I had ayoung dog, and he did not manage well in keeping the sheep fromrunning up lanes and out-of-the-way places. " The next year we had thesame number of sheep brought up, and by the same man. In answer to ourquestion about his journey, he informed us that he had got on verywell, for his dog had recollected all the turnings of the road whichthe sheep had passed the previous year, and had kept them straight thewhole of the way. 

It has always appeared to me that the patriarchal flocks, theshepherds and their dogs, are seen to more advantage on the wild hillsof Cumberland and Westmorland, than in any other situation. When Ihave wandered along the sides of some of the beautiful lakes of thosecounties, and have witnessed the effects of light and shade atdifferent times of the day, on the water and distant hills andvalleys, and seen the numerous sheep scattered over the latter, howdelightful has been the prospect! During the early morning the brightbeams of the sun did not produce too much glare and heat, but servedto give a charming glitter to the dew-drops as they besparkled thegrass and flowers. The tracts of the sheep might be seen by thedisappearance of the "gentle dew" from their path as they proceeded totheir pasture, driven by the watchful colley. It was a scene ofcheerfulness, which every lover of nature would admire. 

In the evening the calmness of the lake was delightful. The lighthovered over it, and the reflection of the trees in the transparentwater beautified the scene. The beams of the setting sun glowed firstover the valleys, and then illumined the tops of the hills; thengradually disappeared: but the grey tints of evening still had theirbeauty, and a diversity of them was preserved long after the greatereffects of the setting sun had vanished. Deep shade was contrastedwith former splendour, till at last the lovely moon appeared with hermodest light, and formed a streak across the lake, which wasoccasionally broken as a ripple, raised by a breeze of the gentlestkind, passed over it. 

While the sun still gleamed on the mountain's side the shepherd mightbe observed resting at its foot, while his patient dog ranged aboutcollecting the flock, and bringing them towards his master. 

Dear, lovely lake!--Never shall I forget your beauteous scenery. Seated in the cool of the evening under one of the noble trees on yourshore, the only sounds I heard were the soft ripple of the water, andthe late warbling of the redbreast--Yes, I forget the humming beetleas it rapidly passed, and the owl calling to its mate in the distantwood. How peaceful were my feelings!--

 "Happy the man whose tranquil mind Sees Nature in her changes kind, And pleased the whole surveys; For him the morn benignly smiles, And evening shades reward the toils That measure out his days. 

 The varying year may shift the scene, The sounding tempest lash the main, And heaven's own thunder roll; Calmly he views the bursting storm, Tempests nor thunders can deform The quiet of his soul. "--C. B. 

Nor is the scenery from the Lakes the only thing to be admired in thisdelightful country. Lanes may be traversed sheltered by the oak, theash, and the hazel, and only those who have seen the Cumberland hazelscan form an idea of the beauty of their silvery bark and luxuriantgrowth. From these lanes there are occasional openings, through whicha placid lake or a distant range of hills may be seen. And whatpicturesque and rugged hills they are! Huge, projecting rocks andverdant lawns, and deep channels of rugged stone, over which a foamingtorrent forces its way in the rainy season, and is succeeded in dryweather by a sparkling rivulet, which trickles down to swell a littlebrooklet at the foot of the hill, as it winds its way to theneighbouring lake. These may be seen, and the patches of heather, andthe patient colley watching for a signal to collect the scatteredflock, dotted, as it appears to be, over the almost inaccessibleheights. At some distance it is difficult to see the sheep, at leastby a stranger, partly on account of the dark colour of their fleeces(for they have not the whiteness of our flocks in the midland downs), and partly from the shadow on the hills. Separated as they are fromeach other, as the evening closes in the sagacious dog receives a hintfrom his master, and the sheep are quickly collected from places towhich the shepherd could with difficulty make his way. Snow and frostare no check to the labours of the colley dog. His exertions areindefatigable, and the only reward he appears to expect is theapprobation of his master. 

The following amusing anecdote of a sort of sheep-dog was communicatedto me by its owner. The dog's name was Hero. His habits were oddenough, and he gave many instances of his sagacity. The following wasone of them:--

Hero was in the constant habit of accompanying the farm-horses intheir daily labour, pacing the ploughed field regularly aside theteam, and returning with them to and from his meals, always takingcare to scamper home at a certain hour for a more dainty portion whenhis mistress dined. 

During one of these hasty visits he met a young woman, whom he hadnever seen before, wearing his mistress's cloak. After looking at herwith a scrutinising eye, he turned round, and followed her closely, toher great dismay, to a neighbouring village four miles off, where thebrother of his mistress lived, and into whose house the woman entered. Probably concluding from this circumstance that she was a privilegedperson, he returned quietly back again. Had she passed the house, thedog would most probably have seized the cloak, in order to restore itto his mistress. 

I trust my readers will begin to feel some interest in this sagaciousand useful animal, and I will add one or two more well-authenticatedanecdotes of him. 

Captain Brown says that his friend, Mr. Peter Macarthur, related tohim the following anecdote of a shepherd's dog, which belonged to hisgrandfather, who at that time resided in the Island of Mull:--Upon oneoccasion a cow had been missed for some days, and no trace of it couldbe found; and a shepherd's dog, called Drummer, was also absent. Onthe second or third day the dog returned, and taking Mr. Macarthur'sfather by the coat, pulled him towards the door, but he did not followit; he then went to his grandfather, and pulled him in the same way bythe coat, but without being attended to; he next went to one of themen-servants, and tugged him also by the coat. Conceiving at lastthere was something particular which the dog wanted, they agreed tofollow him: this seemed to give him great pleasure, and he ranbarking and frisking before them, till he led them to a cow-shed, inthe middle of a field. There they found the cow fixed by the horns toa beam, from which they immediately extricated her and conducted herhome, much exhausted for want of food. It is obvious, that but for thesagacity of this faithful animal she certainly would have died. 

Mr. John Cobb, farmer at Tillybirnie, parish of Lethnot, near Brechin, during a severe snow-storm in the year 1798, had gone with his dog, called Cæsar, to a spot on the small stream of Paphry (a tributary ofthe North Esk), where his sheep on such occasions used to take shelterbeneath some lofty and precipitous rocks called Ugly Face, whichoverhung the stream. While employed in driving them out, an immenseavalanche fell from these rocks, and completely buried him and hisdog. He found all his endeavours to extricate himself from thisfearful situation in vain; and at last, worn out, fell asleep. However, his dog had contrived to work his way out, and returned homenext day about noon. The dog, by whining and looking in the faces ofthe family, and afterwards running to the door, showed that he wishedthem to follow him; they accordingly did so, accompanied by a numberof men provided with spades. He led them to the spot where his masterwas, and, after scraping away the snow which had fallen from the timehe had quitted the spot, he quickly disappeared in the hole by whichhe had effected his escape. They began to dig, and by nightfall theyfound Mr. Cobb quite benumbed, standing in an upright posture; but aslife was not quite extinguished he was rolled in warm blankets, andsoon recovered. As may well be conceived, he felt the greatest regardfor his preserver, and treated him ever afterwards with muchtenderness. The colley lived to a great age, and when he died, hismaster said it gave him as much pain as the death of a child; and hewould have buried him in a coffin, had he not thought that hisneighbours would turn it into ridicule. 

A gentleman of my acquaintance had a sheep-dog, which was generallykept in a yard by the side of his house in the country. One day abeggar made his way into the yard armed with a stout stick, with whichhe defended himself from the attacks of the dog, who barked at andattempted to bite him. On the appearance of a servant the dog ceasedbarking, and watching his opportunity, he got behind the beggar, snatched the stick from his hand, and carried it into the road, wherehe left it. 

A shepherd named Clark, travelling home to Hunt-Law, parish of Minto, near Jedburgh, with some sheep, had occasion to pass through a smallvillage, where he went into a public-house to take a dram with somecronies whom he had met on the road, leaving the sheep in charge ofthe dog. His friends and he had indulged in a crack for several hours, till he entirely forgot his drove. In the meantime the dog hadwearied, and determined to take the sheep home himself, a distance ofabout ten miles. The shepherd, on coming to the spot where he had leftthe animals, found they were gone, but knowing well that he mightdepend on the fidelity of his dog, he followed the straight way toHunt-Law. On coming to a gateway which had interrupted their progress, he perceived the dog and sheep quietly reposing; and had it not beenfor that bar to their course he would have taken them home. Two milesof their way was by a made road, and the rest through an open moor. 

"One of the most interesting anecdotes I have known, " says Sir PatrickWalker, who related this anecdote to Captain Brown, and the one whichfollows, "relates to a sheep-dog. The names of the parties haveescaped me just now, but I recollect perfectly that it came from anauthentic source. The circumstances were these:--A gentleman sold aconsiderable flock of sheep to a dealer, which the latter had nothands to drive. The seller, however, told him he had a veryintelligent dog, which he would send to assist him to a place aboutthirty miles off; and that when he reached the end of his journey, hehad only to feed the dog, and desire him to go home. The dogaccordingly received his orders, and set off with the flock and thedrover; but he was absent for so many days that his master began tohave serious alarms about him, when one morning, to his greatsurprise, he found the dog returned with a very large flock of sheep, including the whole that he had lately sold. The fact turned out tobe, that the drover was so pleased with the colley that he resolved tosteal him, and locked him up until the time when he was to leave thecountry. The dog grew sulky, and made various attempts to escape, andone evening he fortunately succeeded. Whether the brute had discoveredthe drover's intention, and supposed the sheep were also stolen, it isdifficult to say; but by his conduct it looked so, for he immediatelywent to the field, collected the sheep, and drove them all back to hismaster. "

"A few years ago, when upon a shooting party in the Braes of Ranoch, the dogs were so worn out as to be unfit for travel. Our guide said heknew the shepherd, who had a dog that perhaps might help us. Hecalled, and the young man came with his little black colley, to which, as soon as he had conversed with the guide, he said something in Erse. The dog set off in a sneaking sort of manner up the hill, and, when heshowed any degree of keenness, we hastened to follow, lest he shouldset up the birds; but the lad advised us 'to be canny, as it was timeeneuch when Lud came back to tell. ' In a short space Lud made hisappearance on a knoll, and sat down, and the shepherd said we might goup now, for Lud had found the birds. The dog waited till we wereready, and trotted on at his master's command, who soon cautioned usto be on the alert, for Lud signified we were in the midst of thecovey. We immediately found this to be the case, and in the course ofthe day the same thing occurred frequently. "

The following anecdote will serve to show the strong affection of thesheep-dog; I will give it in the words of a gentleman who witnessedthe fact in the north of England. 

"The following instance of canine affection came under my observationat a farm-steading, where I happened to be. A colley belonging to theshepherd on the farm appeared very restless and agitated: shefrequently sent forth short howls, and moaned as if in great agony. 'What on earth is the matter with the dog?' I asked. 'Ye see, sur, 'said the shepherd, 'au drownt a' her whelps i' the pond the day, andshe's busy greeting for them. ' Of course, I had no objection to offerto this explanation, but resolved to watch her future operations. Shewas not long in setting off to the pond and fishing out her offspring. One strong brindled pup she seemed to lament over the most. Afterlooking at it for some time, she again set off at a quick rate to anew house then in the course of erection, and scooped out a deep holeamong the rubbish. She then, one by one, deposited the remains of heryoung in it, and covered them up most carefully. After she hadfulfilled this task, she resumed her labours among her woolly chargeas usual. "

In the winter of the year 1795, as Mr. Boulstead's son, of GreatSalkeld, in Cumberland, was attending the sheep of his father uponGreat Salkeld Common, he had the misfortune to fall and break hisleg. He was then at the distance of three miles from home--there wasno chance of any person's coming in so unfrequented a place withincall, and evening was fast approaching. In this dreadful dilemma, suffering extreme pain from the fracture, and laying upon the dampground at so dreary a season of the year, his fearful situationsuggested to him the following expedient. Folding one of his gloves inhis pocket-handkerchief, he fastened it round the neck of the dog, andrather emphatically ordered him 'home. ' These dogs, trained soadmirably to orders and signals during their attendance upon theflock, are well known to be under the most minute subjection, and toexecute the commands of their masters with an alacrity scarcely to beconceived. 

Perfectly convinced of some inexplicable disquietude from thesituation in which his master lay, he set off at a pace which soonbrought him to the house, where he scratched with great violence atthe door for immediate admittance. This obtained, the parents were inthe utmost alarm and consternation at his appearance, especially whenthey had examined the handkerchief and its contents. Instantlyconcluding that some accident had befallen their son, they did notdelay a moment to go in search of him. The dog, apparently consciousthat the principal part of his duty was yet to be performed, anxiouslyled the way, and conducted the agitated parents to the spot wheretheir son lay overwhelmed with pain, increased by the awfuluncertainty of his situation. Happily he was removed just at the closeof day; and the necessary assistance being procured, he soonrecovered. He was never more pleasingly engaged than when reciting thesagacity and affection of his faithful follower, who then became hisconstant companion. 

Mr. Hawkes, farmer of Halling, returning much intoxicated fromMaidstone market, with his dog, when the whole face of the country wascovered with snow, mistook his path, and passed over a ditch on hisright-hand towards the river; fortunately he was unable to get up thebank, or he must have fallen into the Medway, at nearly high water. Overcome with the liquor, Hawkes fell amongst the snow, in one of thecoldest nights ever remembered: turning on his back, he was soonasleep; his dog scratched the snow about him, and then mounted uponthe body, rolled himself round, and laid him on his master's bosom, for which his shaggy hide proved a seasonable covering. In this state, with snow falling all the time, the farmer and his dog lay the wholeof the night; in the morning, a Mr. Finch, who was out with his gun, perceiving an uncommon appearance, proceeded towards it; at hisapproach, the dog got off the body, shook the snow from him, and bysignificant actions encouraged Mr. Finch to advance. Upon wiping thesnow from the face, the person was immediately recognised, and wasconveyed to the first house, when a pulsation in the heart beingevident, the necessary means to recover him were employed, and in ashort time Hawkes was able to relate his own story. In gratitude forhis faithful friend, a silver collar was made for his wearing, andthus inscribed:--

 "In man, true friendship I long strove to find, but missed my aim; At length I found it in my dog most kind; man! blush for shame. "

The following tale is copied from the "Glasgow Post:"--

"A few days since, while Hector Macalister was on the Aran Hillslooking after his sheep, six miles from home or other habitation, histwo colley dogs started a rabbit, which ran under a large block ofgranite. He thrust his arm under the stone, expecting to catch it; butinstead of doing so, he removed the supports of the block, whichinstantly came down on his arm, holding him as fast as a vice. Hispain was great; but the pangs he felt were greater when he thought ofhome, and the death he seemed doomed to die. In this position he layfrom ten in the morning till four in the afternoon; when, finding thatall his efforts to extricate himself were unavailing, he tried severaltimes, without effect, to get his knife out of his pocket to cut hisarm off. 

"His only chance now was to send home his dogs, with the view ofalarming his friends. After much difficulty, as the faithful creatureswere most unwilling to leave him, he succeeded; and Mrs. Macalister, seeing them return alone, took the alarm, and collecting theneighbours, went in search of her husband, led on by the faithfulcolleys. When they came to the spot, poor Macalister was speechlesswith crying for assistance. It required five strong men to remove theblock from his arm. 

"A further instance of reason and self-judgment was shown in thecolley, which, having to collect some sheep from the sides of a gorge, through which ran a morass, saw one of the animals precipitate itselfinto the shifting mass, where it sank immediately up to the neck, leaving nothing but its small black head visible. The dog looked atthe sheep and then at its master with an embarrassed, what-shall-I-dokind of expression; but the latter, being too far off to notice thedifficulty or to assist, the dog, with infinite address, seized thestruggling animal by the neck, and dragged it by main force to the dryland, and then compelled it to join the flock he was collecting. "

The care a sheep-dog will take of the sheep committed to his charge isextraordinary, and he will readily chastise any other dog whichhappens to molest them. Col. Hamilton Smith relates that a strange curone day bit a sheep in rear of the flock, unseen by the shepherd. Theassault was committed by a tailor's dog, but not unnoticed by theother, which immediately seized the delinquent by the ear and draggedhim into a puddle, where he kept dabbling him in the mud with theutmost gravity. The cur yelled. The tailor came slipshod with hisgoose to the rescue, and flung it at the sheep-dog, but missed him, and did not venture to pick it up till the castigation was over. 

And here I cannot do better than introduce Dr. Walcot's (Peter Pindar)charming lines on "The Old Shepherd's Dog:"--

 "The old shepherd's dog, like his master, was grey, His teeth all departed, and feeble his tongue; Yet where'er Corin went he was follow'd by Tray: Thus happy through life did they hobble along. 

 When fatigued on the grass the shepherd would lie For a nap in the sun, 'midst his slumbers so sweet His faithful companion crawl'd constantly nigh, Placed his head on his lap, or laid down at his feet. 

 When winter was heard on the hill and the plain, When torrents descended, and cold was the wind; If Corin went forth 'mid the tempest and rain, Tray scorn'd to be left in the chimney behind. 

 At length, in the straw, Tray made his last bed-- For vain against death is the stoutest endeavour-- To lick Corin's hand he rear'd up his weak head, Then fell back, closed his eyes, and ah! closed them for ever. 

 Not long after Tray did the shepherd remain, Who oft o'er his grave with true sorrow would bend; And when dying, thus feebly was heard the poor swain, 'O bury me, neighbours, beside my old friend!'"

There can be little doubt but that the dog I have been describing ispossessed of almost human sagacity. The following is an extraordinaryinstance of it. It is related by Dr. Anderson:--

A young farmer in the neighbourhood of Innerleithen, whosecircumstances were supposed to be good, and who was connected withmany of the best store-farming families in the county, had beentempted to commit some extensive depredations upon the flocks of hisneighbours, in which he was assisted by his shepherd. The pastoralfarms of Tweeddale, which generally consist each of a certain range ofhilly ground, had in those days no enclosures: their boundaries wereindicated only by the natural features of the country. The sheep were, accordingly, liable to wander, and to become intermixed with eachother; and at every reckoning of a flock a certain allowance had to bemade for this, as for other contingencies. For some time Mr. WilliamGibson, tenant in Newby, an extensive farm stretching from theneighbourhood of Peebles to the borders of Selkirkshire, had remarkeda surprising increase in the amount of his annual losses. Hequestioned his shepherds severely, taxed them with carelessness inpicking up and bringing home the dead, and plainly intimated that heconceived some unfair dealing to be in progress. The men, findingthemselves thus exposed to suspicions of a very painful kind, were asmuch chagrined as the worthy farmer himself, and kept their mindsalive to every circumstance which might tend to afford any elucidationof the mystery. One day, while they were summering their lambs, theeye of a very acute old shepherd, named Hyslop, was caught by ablack-faced ewe which they had formerly missed (for the shepherdsgenerally know every particular member of their flocks), and whichwas now suckling its own lamb as if it had never been absent. Oninspecting it carefully, it was found to bear an additional birn uponits face. Every farmer, it must be mentioned, impresses with a hotiron a particular letter upon the faces of his sheep, as a means ofdistinguishing his own from those of his neighbours. Mr. Gibson's birnwas the letter T, and this was found distinctly enough impressed onthe face of the ewe. But above this mark there was an O, which wasknown to be the mark of the tenant of Wormiston, the individualalready mentioned. It was immediately suspected that this and theother missing sheep had been abstracted by that person; a suspicionwhich derived strength from the reports of the neighbouring shepherds, by whom, it appeared, the black-faced ewe had been tracked for aconsiderable way in a direction leading from Wormiston to Newby. Itwas indeed ascertained that instinctive affection for her lamb had ledthis animal across the Tweed, and over the lofty heights betweenCailzie and Newby; a route of very considerable difficulty, andprobably quite different from that by which she had been led away, butthe most direct that could have been taken. Mr. Gibson only stopped toobtain the concurrence of a neighbouring farmer, whose losses had beenequally great, before proceeding with some of the legal authorities toWormiston, where Millar the shepherd, and his master, were taken intocustody, and conducted to the prison of Peebles. On a search of thefarm, no fewer than thirty-three score of sheep belonging to variousindividuals were found, all bearing the condemnatory O above theoriginal birns; and it was remarked that there was not a single ewereturned to Grieston, the farm on the opposite bank of the Tweed, which did not minny her lambs--that is, assume the character of mothertowards the offspring from which she had been separated. 

The magnitude of this crime, the rareness of such offences in thedistrict, and the station in life of at least one of the offenders, produced a great sensation in Tweeddale, and caused the elicitation ofevery minute circumstance that could possibly be discovered respectingthe means which had been employed for carrying on such an extensivesystem of depredation. The most surprising part of the tale is theextent to which it appears that the instinct of dumb animals had beeninstrumental, both in the crime and in its detection. While the farmerseemed to have deputed the business chiefly to his shepherd, theshepherd seemed to have deputed it again, in many instances, to a dogof extraordinary sagacity, which served him in his customary andlawful business. This animal, which bore the name of "Yarrow, " wouldnot only act under his immediate direction in cutting off a portion ofa flock, and bringing it home to Wormiston, but is said to have beenable to proceed solitarily, and by night, to a sheepwalk, and theredetach certain individuals previously pointed out by its master, which it would drive home by secret ways, without allowing one tostraggle. It is mentioned that, while returning home with their stolendroves, they avoided, even in the night, the roads along the banks ofthe river, or those that descend to the valley through the adjoiningglens. They chose rather to come along the ridge of mountains thatseparate the small river Leithen from the Tweed. But even here therewas sometimes danger, for the shepherds occasionally visit theirflocks even before day; and often when Millar had driven his prey froma distance, and while he was yet miles from home, and theweather-gleam of the eastern hills began to be tinged with thebrightening dawn, he has left them to the charge of his dog, anddescended himself to the banks of the Leithen, off his way, that hemight not be seen connected with their company. Yarrow, althoughbetween three and four miles from his master, would continue, withcare and silence, to bring the sheep onward to Wormiston, where hismaster's appearance could be neither a matter of question norsurprise. 

Near to the thatched farmhouse was one of those old square towers, orpeel-houses, whose picturesque ruins were then seen ornamenting thecourse of the Tweed, as they had been placed alternately along thenorth and south bank, generally from three to six hundred yards fromit--sometimes on the shin, and sometimes in the hollow of a hill. Inthe vault of this tower it was the practice of these men to concealthe sheep they had recently stolen; and while the rest of theirpeople were absent on Sunday at the church, they used to employthemselves in cancelling with their knives the ear-marks, andimpressing with a hot iron a large O upon the face, that covered bothsides of the animal's nose, for the purpose of obliterating the brandof the true owner. While his accomplices were so busied, Yarrow keptwatch in the open air, and gave notice, without fail, by his barking, of the approach of strangers. 

The farmer and his servant were tried at Edinburgh in January 1773, and the proceedings excited an extraordinary interest, not only in theaudience, but amongst the legal officials. Hyslop, the principalwitness, gave so many curious particulars respecting the instincts ofsheep, and the modes of distinguishing them both by natural andartificial marks, that he was highly complimented by the bench. Theevidence was so complete, that both culprits were found guilty andexpiated their crime on the scaffold. 

The general tradition is, that Yarrow was also put to death, though ina less ceremonious manner; but this has probably no other foundationthan a _jeu d'esprit_, which was cried through the streets ofEdinburgh as his dying speech. We have been informed that the dog wasin reality purchased, after the execution of Millar, by a sheep-farmerin the neighbourhood, but did not take kindly to honest courses, andhis new master having no work of a different kind in which to engagehim, he was remarked to show rather less sagacity than the ordinaryshepherd's dog. 

An instance of shrewd discrimination in the shepherd's dog, almost asremarkable as that of poor Yarrow, was mentioned a few years ago in aGreenock newspaper. In the course of last summer, says the narrator, it chanced that the sheep on the farm of a friend of ours, on thewater of Stinchar, were, like those of his neighbours, partiallyaffected with that common disease, maggots in the skin, to cure whichdistemper it is necessary to cut off the wool over the part affected, and apply a small quantity of tobacco juice, or some other liquid. Forthis purpose the shepherd set off to the hill one morning, accompaniedby his faithful canine assistant, Ladie. Arrived among the flock, theshepherd pointed out a diseased animal; and making the accustomedsignal for the dog to capture it, "poor Mailie" was speedily sprawlingon her back, and gently held down by the dog till the arrival of herkeeper, who proceeded to clip off a portion of her wool, and apply thehealing balsam. During the operation, Ladie continued to gaze on theoperator with close attention; and the sheep having been released, hewas directed to capture in succession two or three more of the flock, which underwent similar treatment. The sagacious animal had now becomeinitiated into the mysteries of his master's vocation, for off he setunbidden through the flock, and picked out with unerring precisionthose sheep which were affected with maggots in their skin, and heldthem down until the arrival of his master; who was thus, by theextraordinary instinct of Ladie, saved a world of trouble, while theoperation of clipping and smearing was also greatly facilitated. 

Often as I have attempted to make acquaintance with a colley-dog, Ihave never been able to succeed in producing any degree offamiliarity. On the contrary, he has always regarded me with looks ofshyness and suspicion. His master appears to be the only being to whomhe is capable of showing any degree of attachment; and coiled up onhis great-coat, or reposing at his feet, he eyes a stranger withdistrust, if not with anger. At the same time there is a look ofextraordinary intelligence, which perhaps is possessed by no otheranimal in a greater degree. It has been said of him, that although hehas not the noble port of the Newfoundland dog, the affectionatefondling of the spaniel, nor the fierce attachment which renders themastiff so efficient a guard, yet he exceeds them all in readiness andextent of intelligence, combined with a degree of docility unequalled, perhaps, by any other animal in existence. There is, if the expressionmay be used, a philosophic look about him, which shows thought, patience, energy, and vigilance. During a recent visit in Cumberland, I took some pains to make myself acquainted with the character of thisdog, and I am now convinced that too much cannot be said of hiswonderful properties. He protects with indefatigable exertions theflock committed to his charge. When we consider the dreary wilds, thealmost inaccessible heights, the rugged hills and lofty mountains towhich sheep have access, and to which man could scarcelypenetrate--that some sheep will stray and intermix with otherflocks--that the dog knows the extent of his walk as well as everyindividual of his flock, and that he will select his own as well asdrive away intruders, we must admit his utility and admire hissagacity. 

Let me give another instance of this in the words of the EttrickShepherd. It was related to me by himself, and has since beenpublished in the "Percy Anecdotes. "

"I once witnessed a very singular feat performed by a dog belonging toJohn Graham, late tenant in Ashiesteel. A neighbour came to his houseafter it was dark, and told him that he had lost a sheep on his farm, and that if he (Graham) did not secure her in the morning early, shewould be lost, as he had brought her far. John said he could notpossibly get to the hill next morning, but if he would take him to thevery spot where he lost the sheep, perhaps his dog Chieftain wouldfind her that night. On that they went away with all expedition, lestthe traces of the feet should cool; and I, then a boy, being in thehouse, went with them. The night was pitch dark, which had been thecause of the man losing his ewe, and at length he pointed out a placeto John by the side of the water where he had lost her. 'Chieftain, fetch that!' said John. 'Bring her back, sir!' The dog jumped aroundand around, and reared himself up on end; but not being able to seeanything, evidently misapprehended his master, on which John fell toscolding his dog, calling it a great many hard names. He at last toldthe man that he must point out the very track that the sheep went, otherwise he had no chance of recovering it. The man led him to a greystone, and said he was sure she took the brae (hill side) within ayard of that. 'Chieftain, come hither to my foot, you great numb'dwhelp!' said John. Chieftain came--John pointed with his finger to theground, 'Fetch that, I say, sir--bring that back--away!' The dogscented slowly about on the ground for some seconds, but soon began tomend his pace, and vanished in the darkness. 'Bring her back!--away, you great calf!' vociferated John, with a voice of exultation, as thedog broke to the hill; and as all these good dogs perform their workin perfect silence, we neither saw nor heard any more of him for along time. I think, if I remember right, we waited there about half anhour, during which time all the conversation was about the smallchance which the dog had to find the ewe, for it was agreed on allhands that she must long ago have mixed with the rest of the sheep onthe farm. How that was, no man will ever be able to decide. John, however, still persisted in waiting until his dog came back, eitherwith the ewe or without her. At last the trusty animal brought theindividual lost sheep to our very feet, which the man took on hisback, and went on his way rejoicing. "

The care the shepherds of the north of England take in preserving apure breed of these dogs is very great, and the value set upon them isproportionably high. Nor must the shepherds themselves be passed overwithout notice. They are a shrewd, sagacious set of men, many of themby no means uneducated, as is the case generally with the peasantry inthe north of England. Indeed, it is from this class that many scholarsand mathematicians have done so much credit, and I may add honour, tothe counties of Cumberland and Westmoreland. An anecdote is related ofa shepherd, who was found by a gentleman attending his flock, andreading a volume of Milton. "What are you reading?" asked thegentleman. "Why, " replied the shepherd, "I am reading an odd sort of apoet; he would fain rhyme, but does not quite know how to set aboutit. "

The valleys, or glens, which intersect the Grampian mountains, arechiefly inhabited by shepherds. The pastures over which each flock ispermitted to range extend many miles in every direction. The shepherdnever has a view of his whole flock at once, except when they arecollected for sale or shearing. His occupation is to make dailyexcursions to the different extremities of his pastures in succession, and to turn back, by means of his dog, any stragglers that may beapproaching the boundaries of his neighbours. In one of theseexcursions, a shepherd happened to carry along with him one of hischildren, about three years old. This is a usual practice among theHighlanders, who accustom their children from their earliest infancyto endure the rigours of the climate. After traversing his pasture forsome time, attended by his dog, the shepherd found himself under thenecessity of ascending a summit at some distance, in order to have amore extensive view of his range. As the ascent was too fatiguing forthe child, he left him on a small plain at the bottom, with strictinjunctions not to stir from it till his return. Scarcely, however, had he gained the summit, when the horizon was suddenly darkened byone of those impenetrable mists which frequently descend so rapidlyamidst these mountains, as almost to turn day into night, and that inthe course of a few minutes. The anxious father instantly hastenedback to find his child, but, owing to the unusual darkness, he missedhis way in the descent. After a search of many hours amongst thedangerous morasses and cataracts with which these mountains abound, hewas at length overtaken by night. Still wandering on without knowingwhither, he at length came to the verge of the mist, and, by the lightof the moon, discovered that he had reached the bottom of his valley, and was within a short distance of his cottage. To renew the searchthat night was equally fruitless and dangerous. He was, therefore, obliged to return to his cottage, having lost both his child and hisdog, who had attended him faithfully for years. 

Next morning by daybreak, the shepherd, accompanied by a band of hisneighbours, set out in search of the child, but, after a day spent infruitless fatigue, he was at last compelled, by the approach of night, to descend from the mountain. On returning to his cottage he foundthat the dog, which he had lost the day before, had been home, and onreceiving a piece of cake, had instantly gone off again. For severalsuccessive days the shepherd renewed the search for his child, butstill, on returning at evening disappointed to his cottage, he foundthat the dog had been home, and, on receiving his usual allowance ofcake, had instantly disappeared. Struck with this circumstance, heremained at home one day, and when the dog, as usual, departed withhis piece of cake, he resolved to follow him, and find out the causeof his strange procedure. The dog led the way to a cataract, at somedistance from the spot where the shepherd had left his child. Thebanks of the cataract almost joined at the top, yet separated by anabyss of immense depth, presenting that appearance which so oftenastonishes and appals travellers who frequent the Grampian Mountains, and indicates that these stupendous chasms were not the silent work oftime, but the sudden effect of some violent convulsion of the earth. Down one of these rugged and almost perpendicular descents, the dogbegan, without hesitation, to make his way, and at last disappearedinto a cave, the mouth of which was almost on a level with thetorrent. The shepherd with some difficulty followed, but upon enteringthe cave, what were his emotions when he beheld his lost child eatingwith much satisfaction the cake which the dog had just brought to him, while the faithful animal stood by, eyeing his young charge with theutmost complacence. 

From the situation in which the child was found, it appears that hehad wandered to the brink of the precipice, and then either fallen orscrambled down till he reached the cave, which the dread of thetorrent had probably prevented him from quitting. The dog had tracedhim to the spot, and afterwards prevented him from starving by givingup to him the whole, or the greater part of his own daily allowance. He appears never to have quitted the child by night or day, exceptwhen it was necessary to go for food, and then he was always seenrunning at full speed to and from the cottage. 

This extraordinary and interesting anecdote is taken from the "MonthlyMagazine" of April, 1802, and bears every appearance of authenticity. It affords an instance of the sense, affection, and self-denial of afaithful animal, and is recorded to his honour, and as an example tothe whole race of human beings. 

 * * * * *

Mr. Daniel, in the Supplement to his "Rural Sports, " gives thefollowing account of the shepherds' dogs in North Wales. He says, "The sheep in this country are the ancient Alpine sort, (how excellentthe mutton is!) and that from their varying mode of life they assumevery different habits to the sheep of an inland country, while thoseof the shepherds' dogs are no less conspicuous. The excellency ofthese animals renders sheep-pens in a great degree unnecessary. If ashepherd wishes to inspect his flock in a cursory way, he placeshimself in the middle of the field, or the piece of ground they aredepasturing, and giving a whistle or a shout, the dogs and the sheepare equally obedient to the sound, and draw towards the shepherd, andare kept within reach by one or more dogs, until the business whichrequired them to be assembled is finished. In such estimation was thisbreed of dogs, when cattle constituted one of the grand sources ofwealth to the country, that in the laws of Hywell Dda, the legal priceof one perfectly broken in for conducting the flocks or herds to orfrom their pasturage, was equal to that of an ox, viz. Sixty denarii, while the price of the house-dog was estimated at only four, which wasthe value of a sheep. If any doubt arose as to the genuineness of thebreed, or his having been _pastorally_ trained, then the owner and aneighbour were to make oath that he went with the flocks or herds inthe morning, and drove them, with the stragglers, home in theevening. "

I delight in seeing a shepherd's dog in full activity, anxious toobey the directions of his master. He runs with his utmost speed, encompassing a large space of open country in a short time, and bringsthose sheep that are wanted to the feet of his master. Indeed thenatural talents and sagacity of this dog are so great, partly by beingthe constant companion of his master, and partly by education, that hemay almost be considered a rational being. Mr. Smellie says, "that hereigns at the head of his flock, and that his _language_, whetherexpressive of blandishment or of command, is better heard and betterunderstood than the voice of his master. Safety, order, and disciplineare the effects of his vigilance and activity. Sheep and cattle arehis subjects. These he conducts and protects with prudence andbravery, and never employs force against them, except for thepreservation of peace and good order. He not only understands thelanguage of his master, but, when too distant to be heard, he knowshow to act by signals made with the hand. " How well Delille describesthis faithful animal!--

 "Aimable autant qu'utile, Superbe et caressant, courageux et docile, Formé pour le conduire et pour le protéger. Du troupeau qu'il gouverne il est le vrai berger; Le Ciel l'a fait pour nous; et dans leur cours rustique, Il fut des rois pasteurs le premier domestique. "

Mr. Charles Darwin, in his interesting travels in South America, informs us, that when riding it is a common thing to meet a largeflock of sheep, guarded by one or two dogs, at the distance of somemiles from any house or man. He often wondered how so firm afriendship had been established, till he found that the method ofeducation consisted in separating the puppy, while very young, fromthe mother, and in accustoming it to its future companions. In orderto do this, a ewe is held three or four times a-day for the littlething to suck, and a nest of wool is made for it in the sheep-pen. Atno time is it allowed to associate with other dogs, or with thechildren of the family. From this education, it has no wish to leavethe flock, and just as another dog will defend his master, so willthese the sheep. It is amusing to observe, when approaching a flock, how the dog immediately advances barking, and the sheep all close inhis rear, as if round the oldest ram. These dogs are also easilytaught to bring home the flock at a certain hour in the evening. Theirmost troublesome fault, when young, is their desire of playing withthe sheep; for, in their sport, they sometimes gallop their poorsubjects most unmercifully. The shepherd dog comes to the house everyday for some meat, and immediately it is given him he skulks away asif ashamed of himself. On these occasions the house-dogs are verytyrannical, and the least of them will attack and pursue the stranger. The minute, however, the latter has reached the flock, he turns roundand begins to bark, and then all the house-dogs take very quietly totheir heels. In a similar manner, a whole pack of hungry wild dogswill scarcely ever venture to attack a flock when under the protectionof even one of these faithful shepherds. 

[Illustration]

[Illustration: ST. BERNARD DOG. ]

THE ST. BERNARD DOG. 

 "Thrill sounds are breaking o'er the startled ear, The shriek of agony, the cry of fear;-- And the sad tones of childhood in distress, Are echoing through the snow-clad wilderness! And who the first to waken to the sound, And quickly down the icy path to bound; To dare the storm with anxious step and grave, The first to answer and the first to save?-- 'T is he--the brave old dog, who many a day Hath saved lost wand'rers in that dreary way; And now, with head close crouched along the ground, Is watching eagerly each coming sound. Sudden he starts--the cry is near-- On, gallant Bruno!--know no fear! On!--for that cry may be the last, And human life is ebbing fast! And now he hurries on with heaving side, Dashing the snow from off its shaggy hide;-- He nears the child!--he hears his gasping sighs, And, with a tender care, he bears away the prize. " MRS. HOUSTOUN. 

Sir Walter Scott said that he would believe anything of a St. Bernarddog. Their natural sagacity is, indeed, so sharpened by long practiceand careful training, that a sort of language is established betweenthem and the good monks of St. Bernard, by which mutual communicationsare made, such as few persons living in situations of less constantand severe trials can have any just conceptions of. When we look atthe extraordinary sagacity of the animal, his great strength, and hisinstinctive faculties, we shall feel convinced how admirably he isadapted to fulfil the purpose for which he is chiefly employed, --thatof saving lives in snow-storms. 

The peculiar faculty of the St. Bernard dogs is shown by the curiousfact, that if a whelp of this breed is placed upon snow for the firsttime, it will begin to scratch it, and sniff about as if in search ofsomething. When they have been regularly trained, they are generallysent out in pairs during heavy snow-storms in search of travellers, who may have been overwhelmed by the snow. In this way they pass overa great extent of country, and by the acuteness of their scentdiscover if any one is buried in the snowdrift. When it is consideredthat Mount St. Bernard is situated about 8000 feet above the level ofthe sea, and that it is the highest habitable spot in Europe, andthat the road which passes across it is constantly traversed, thegreat utility of the dogs is sufficiently manifest. Neither is thekindness, charity, and hospitality of the good monks less to beadmired than the noble qualities of these dogs. 

"Under every circumstance, " says Mr. Brockedon, "in which it ispossible to render assistance, the worthy religieuses of St. Bernardset out upon their fearful duty unawed by the storm, and obeying ahigher Power; they seek the exhausted or overwhelmed traveller, accompanied by their dogs, whose sagacity will generally detect thevictim though buried in the snow. The dogs, also, as if conscious of ahigh duty, will roam alone through the day and night in these desolateregions, and if they discover an exhausted traveller will lie on himto impart warmth, and bark and howl for assistance. "[P]

Mr. Mathews, in his "Diary of an Invalid, " gives this testimony inpraise of the inmates of St. Bernard. "The approach, " he says, "to theconvent for the last hour of the ascent is steep and difficult. Theconvent is not seen till you arrive within a few hundred yards of it;when it breaks upon the view all at once, at a turn in the rock. Upona projecting crag near it stood one of the celebrated dogs, baying atour advance, as if to give notice of strangers. These dogs are of alarge size, particularly high upon the legs, and generally of a milkwhite, or of a tabby colour. They are most extraordinary creatures, ifall the stories the monks tell of them are true. They are used for thepurpose of searching for travellers who may be buried in the snow; andmany persons are rescued annually from death by their means. Duringthe last winter, a traveller arrived at the convent in the midst of asnow-storm, having been compelled to leave his wife, who was unable toproceed further, at about a quarter of a mile's distance. A party ofthe monks immediately set out to her assistance, and found hercompletely buried under the snow. The sagacity of the dogs alone wasthe cause of her deliverance, for there was no visible trace, and itis difficult to understand how the scent can be conveyed through adeep covering of snow. 

"It is stated that the monks themselves, when out upon search fortravellers, have frequently owed their preservation to their dogs, ina manner which would seem to show that the dogs are endued with apresentiment of danger. 

"Many stories of this kind have been told, and I was anxious toascertain their truth. The monks stated two or three cases where thedogs had actually prevented them from returning to the convent bytheir accustomed route, when it afterwards turned out, that if theyhad not followed the guidance of their dog in his deviation, theywould have been overwhelmed by an avalanche. Whether the dog may beendued with an intuitive foreboding of danger, or whether he may havethe faculty of detecting symptoms not perceptible to our dullersenses, must be determined by philosophers. "

That dogs and other animals, especially elephants, have this faculty, cannot be doubted. There is an instance on record of a dog having, byhis importunity and peculiar gestures, induced his mistress to quit awashhouse in which she was at work, the roof of which fell in almostimmediately afterwards. Dogs have been known to give the alarm offire, by howling and other signs, before it was perceived by any ofthe inmates of the house. Their apprehension of danger is indeed veryacute and very extraordinary, and may serve to account for and provethe accuracy of what has been stated respecting the instinct of theSt. Bernard dogs. 

These dogs, however, do not always escape being overwhelmed by asudden avalanche, which falls, as is most usual, in the spring of theyear. Two of the domestics of the convent, with two or three dogs, were escorting some travellers, and were lost in an avalanche. One ofthe predecessors of these dogs, an intelligent animal, which hadserved the hospital for the space of twelve years, had, during thattime, saved the lives of many individuals. Whenever the mountain wasenveloped in fogs and snow, he set out in search of lost travellers. He was accustomed to run barking until he lost his breath, and wouldfrequently venture on the most perilous places. When he found hisstrength was insufficient to draw from the snow a traveller benumbedwith cold, he would run back to the hospital in search of the monks. 

One day this interesting animal found a child in a frozen statebetween the Bridge of Drouaz and the Ice-house of Balsora. Heimmediately began to lick him, and having succeeded in restoringanimation, and the perfect recovery of the boy, by means of hiscaresses, he induced the child to tie himself round his body. In thisway he carried the poor little creature, as if in triumph, to thehospital. When old age deprived him of strength, the prior of theconvent pensioned him at Berne by way of reward. He is now dead, andhis body stuffed and deposited in the museum of that town. The littlephial, in which he carried a reviving liquor for the distressedtravellers whom he found among the mountains, is still suspended fromhis neck. 

The story of this dog has been often told, but it cannot be toofrequently repeated. Its authenticity is well established, and itaffords another proof of the utility and sense of the St. Bernarddogs. Neither can the benevolence of the good monks be too highlypraised. To those accustomed to behold the habitations of man, surrounded by flowery gardens, green and pleasing meadows, rivuletswinding and sparkling over their pebbly bottoms, and groves in whichsongsters haunt and warble, the sight of a large monastery, situatedon a gigantic eminence, with clouds rolling at its foot, andencompassed only by beds of ice and snow, must be awfully impressive. Yet amidst these boundless labyrinths of rugged glens and precipices, in the very rudest seasons, as often as it snows or the weather isfoggy, do some of those benevolent persons go forth, with long poles, guided by their sagacious dogs. In this way they seek the high road, which these animals, with their instinctive faculty, never miss, howdifficult soever to find. If an unfortunate traveller has sunk beneaththe force of the falling snows, or should be immersed among them, thedogs never fail to find the place of his interment, which they pointout by scratching and snuffing; when the sufferer is dug out, andcarried to the monastery, where means are used for his recovery. 

The Count de Monte Veccios had a St. Bernard dog, which, as his masteralways had reported, could understand whatever he said to him; and thefollowing short account deserves to be recorded, as it at onceindicates memory, compassion, love, gratitude, and resentment in thefaithful animal, even if we do not allow it to make good his master'sopinion. The story is this:--

The Count had served long in the wars, and always had this faithfulattendant with him. The republic of Venice had been signally indebtedto his courage, but had not rewarded him. He had a favour to ask ofthe then General Morosini; and as that commander was a man of singularpride and arrogance, he was obliged to wait a favourable opportunityof presenting his suit. One day when the General himself had a favourto ask of the Doge (who was a person of high elegance, and celebratedfor his love of expensive entertainments), he laid out half hisfortune on a cold collation, to which he had invited the Doge, to puthim in humour for his suit. Thinking this the most suitable time forhis purpose, as he who was about to ask a favour for himself wouldhardly at that instant deny one to another, the Count went to him somehours before the Doge was expected, and was graciously received in theroom where the table was prepared. Here he began to make his court tothe General, by praising the elegance and pomp of the preparation, which consisted of many thousands of finely-cut vessels of Venetianglass, filled with the richest sweetmeats and cold provisions, anddisposed on fine tables, all covered with one vast cloth, with a deepgold fringe, which swept the ground. The Count said a thousand finethings about the elegance and richness of the dessert, andparticularly admired the profusion of expense in the workmanship ofthe crystal and the weight of the gold fringe. Thus far he was verycourteously treated; and the lord of the feast pompously told himthat all the workmen in Venice had been half a year employed aboutthem. From this he proceeded to the business of his suit; but this metwith a very different reception, and was not only refused, but thedenial attended with very harsh language. The Count was shocked at theill-nature of the General, and went away in a very melancholy mood. Ashe went out, he patted his dog upon the head, and, out of the fulnessof his heart, said to him with an afflicted air, "_Tu vois, mon ami, comme l'on nous traite_, --You see, my friend, how I am used. " The doglooked up wistfully in his face, and returned him an answer with histears. He accompanied him till he was at some distance from theGeneral's, when, finding him engaged in company, he took thatopportunity of leaving him with people who might justify him ifaccused. Upon which the dog, returning back to the house of thehaughty officer, entered the great room, and taking hold of the goldtassel at one of the corners of the cloth, ran forcibly back, and drewafter him the whole preparation, which in a moment lay strewed on theground in a vast heap of broken glasses; thus revenging his master'squarrel, and ensuring as unexpected a reception to the General'srequests as the latter had given to those of the Count. 

One of the St. Bernard dogs, named Barry, had a medal tied round hisneck as a badge of honourable distinction, for he had saved the livesof forty persons. He at length died nobly in his vocation. In thewinter of 1816, a Piedmontese courier arrived at St. Bernard on avery stormy day, labouring to make his way to the little village ofSt. Pierre, in the valley beneath the mountain, where his wife andchildren lived. It was in vain that the monks attempted to check hisresolution to reach his family. They at last gave him two guides, eachof whom was accompanied by a dog, one of which was the remarkablecreature whose services had been so valuable. They set forth on theirway down the mountain. In the mean time the anxious family of the poorcourier, alarmed at his long absence, commenced the ascent of themountain, in hopes of meeting him, or obtaining some informationrespecting him. Thus at the moment he and his guides were descending, his family were toiling up the icy steep, crowned with the snows ofages. A sudden crackling noise was heard, and then a thundering roarechoing through the Alpine heights--and all was still. Courier, andguides, and dogs, and the courier's family, were at the same momentoverwhelmed by one common destruction--not one escaped. Two avalancheshad broken away from the mountain pinnacles, and swept with impetuousforce into the valley below. 

[Illustration: CHASSEUR AND CUBA BLOODHOUNDS. ]

THE BLOODHOUND. 

 "His snuffling nose, his active tail, Attest his joy; then with deep op'ning mouth, That makes the welkin tremble, he proclaims Th' audacious felon; foot by foot he marks His winding way, while all the listening crowd Applaud his reasonings. O'er the watery ford, Dry sandy heaths, and stony barren hills, O'er beaten paths, with men and beasts distain'd, Unerring he pursues; till at the cot Arriv'd, and seizing by his guilty throat The caitiff vile, redeems the captive prey: So exquisitely delicate his sense!"--SOMERVILLE. 

These noble dogs were also called "Slough dogs, " in consequence oftheir exploring the sloughs, mosses, and bogs, in pursuit ofoffenders, called Moss-troopers. They were used for this purpose aslate as the reign of James the First. In Scotland they are called theSleuth-hound. It is the largest of any variety of hound, some of themhaving measured from twenty-six to twenty-eight inches to the top ofthe shoulder. They are beautifully formed, and have a noble expressionof countenance, so finely portrayed in Sir Edwin Landseer's well-knownand beautiful picture of "Dignity and Impudence. " There is, as ColonelHamilton Smith has observed, a kind of sagacious, or serious, solemndignity about him, admirably calculated to impress the marauder withdread and awe. Indeed, so much is this the case, that I knew aninstance of a bloodhound having traced a sheep-stealer to his cottagein Bedfordshire; and so great was the dread afterwards of the peculiarinstinct of this dog, that sheep-stealing, which had before been verycommon in the neighbourhood, was put an end to. It has, therefore, often occurred to me, that if bloodhounds were kept for the generalgood in different districts, sheep-stealing would be less frequentthan it is at present. They might also be usefully employed in thedetection of rick-burners. At all events the suggestion is worthsome consideration, especially from insurance offices. In 1803, the Thrapston Association for the Prosecution of Felons inNorthamptonshire, procured and trained a bloodhound for the detectionof sheep-stealers. In order to prove the utility of the dog, a man wasdispatched from a spot where a great concourse of people wereassembled, at ten o'clock in the forenoon, and an hour afterwards thehound was laid on the scent. After a chase of an hour and a half, thehound found him secreted in a tree many miles from the place ofstarting. The very knowledge that farmers could readily have recourseto the assistance of such a dog, would serve to prevent the commissionof much crime. 

To try whether a young bloodhound was well instructed, a nobleman(says Mr. Boyle) caused one of his servants to walk to a town fourmiles off, and then to a market-town three miles from thence. The dog, without seeing the man he was to pursue, followed him by the scent tothe above-mentioned places, notwithstanding the multitude of peoplegoing the same road, and of travellers that had occasion to cross it. When the hound came to the chief market-town, he passed through thestreets, without noticing any of the people there, till he got to thehouse where the man he sought was, and there found him in an upperroom. 

A sure way of stopping the dog was to spill blood upon the track, which destroyed the discriminating fineness of his scent. A captivewas sometimes sacrificed on such occasions. Henry the Minstrel tellsus a romantic story of Wallace, founded on this circumstance. Thehero's little band had been joined by an Irishman named Fawdon, orFadzean, a dark, savage, and suspicious character. After a sharpskirmish at Black Erneside, Wallace was forced to retreat with onlysixteen followers. The English pursued with a border sleuth-bratch, orbloodhound. In the retreat, Fawdon, tired, or affecting to be so, would go no farther. Wallace having in vain argued with him, in hastyanger struck off his head, and continued the retreat. When the Englishcame up, their hound stayed upon the dead body. 

To the present group has been referred by some naturalists a dog ofSpanish descent, termed the Cuban bloodhound. A hundred of thesesagacious but savage dogs were sent, in 1795, from the Havanna toJamaica, to extinguish the Maroon war, which at that time was fiercelyraging. They were accompanied by forty Spanish chasseurs, chieflypeople of colour, and their appearance and that of the dogs struckterror into the negroes. The dogs, muzzled and led in leashes, rushedferociously upon every object, dragging along the chasseurs in spiteof all their endeavours. Dallas, in his "History of the Maroons, "informs us that General Walpole ordered a review of these dogs and themen, that he might see in what manner they would act. He set out fora place called Seven Rivers, accompanied by Colonel Skinner, whom heappointed to conduct the attack. "Notice of his coming having precededhim, a parade of the chasseurs was ordered, and they were taken to adistance from the house, in order to be advanced when the generalalighted. On his arrival, the commissioner (who had procured thedogs), having paid his respects, was desired to parade them. TheSpaniards soon appeared at the end of a gentle acclivity drawn out ina line, containing upwards of forty men, with their dogs in frontunmuzzled, and held by cotton ropes. On receiving the command, 'Fire!'they discharged their fusils, and advanced as upon a real attack. Thiswas intended to ascertain what effect would be produced on the dogs ifengaged under a fire of the Maroons. The volley was no soonerdischarged than the dogs rushed forward with the greatest fury, amidthe shouts of the Spaniards, who were dragged on by them withirresistible force. Some of the dogs, maddened by the shout of attackwhile held back by the ropes, seized on the stocks of the guns in thehands of their keepers, and tore pieces out of them. Their impetuositywas so great that they were with difficulty stopped before theyreached the general, who found it necessary to get expeditiously intothe chaise from which he had alighted; and if the most strenuousexertions had not been made, they would have seized upon his horses. "This terrible exhibition produced the intended effect--the Maroons atonce capitulated, and were subsequently sent to Halifax, NorthAmerica. 

 * * * * *

Mr. John Lawrence, says that a servant, discharged by a sportingcountry gentleman, broke into his stables by night, and cut off theears and tail of a favourite hunter. As soon as it was discovered, abloodhound was brought into the stable, who at once detected the scentof the miscreant, and traced it more than twenty miles. He thenstopped at a door, whence no power could move him. Being at lengthadmitted, he ran to the top of the house, and, bursting open the doorof a garret, found the object that he sought in bed, and would havetorn him to pieces, had not the huntsman, who had followed him on afleet horse, rushed up after him. 

 * * * * *

Colonel Hamilton Smith says, that he was favoured with the followinginteresting notice of this dog from Sir Walter Scott, and which agreesexactly with some I have seen bred by Lord Bagot at Blithfield inStaffordshire, and some belonging to Her present Majesty. 

"The only sleuth-hound I ever saw was one which was kept at KeeldarCastle. He was like the Spanish pointer, but much stronger, anduntameably fierce, --colour, black and tawny, long pendulous ears, --hada deep back, broad nostrils, and was strongly made, something likethe old English mastiff, now so rare. "

 * * * * *

Wanley, in his "Wonders of the Little World, " relates the followinganecdote:--

"Anno Dom. 867. --Lothbroke, of the blood-royal of Denmark, and fatherto Humbar and Hubba, entered with his hawk into a boat alone, and bytempest was driven upon the coast of Norfolk in England; where beingfound, he was detained, and presented to Edmund, at that time King ofthe East Angles. The king entertained him at his court; and perceivinghis singular dexterity and activity in hawking and hunting, bore himparticular favour. By this means he fell into the envy of Berick, theking's falconer, who one day, as they hunted together, privatelymurdered and threw him into a bush. It was not long before he wasmissed at court. When no tidings could be heard of him, his dog, whohad continued in the wood with the corpse of his master, till famineforced him thence, at sundry times came to court, and fawned on theking; so that the king, suspecting some ill matter, at length followedthe trace of the hound, and was led by him to the place whereLothbroke lay. Inquisition was made; and by circumstance of words, andother suspicions, Berick, the king's falconer, was pronounced to behis murderer. The king commanded him to be set alone in Lothbroke'sboat, and committed to the mercy of the sea, by the working of whichhe was carried to the same coast of Denmark from whence Lothbrokecame. The boat was well known, and the occupant, Berick, examined bytorments. To save himself, he asserted that Lothbroke had been slainby King Edmund. And this was the first occasion of the Danes' arrivalin this land. "

A planter had fixed his residence at the foot of the Blue Mountains, in the back settlements of America. One day the youngest of hisfamily, a child of about four years old, disappeared. The father, becoming alarmed, explored the woods in every direction, but withoutsuccess. On the following day the search was renewed, during which anative Indian happened to pass, accompanied by his dog, one of thetrue bloodhound breed. Being informed of the distress of the planter, he requested that the shoes and stockings last worn by the child mightbe brought to him. He made the dog smell to them, and patted him. Theintelligent animal seemed to comprehend all about it, for he beganimmediately to sniff around. The Indian and his dog then plunged intothe wood. They had not been there long before the dog began to bay; hethought that he had hit upon the scent, and presently afterwards, being assured of it, he uttered a louder and more expressive note, anddarted off at full speed into the forest. The Indian followed, andafter a considerable time met his dog bounding back, his noblecountenance beaming with animation. The hound turned again into thewood, his master not being far behind, and they found the child lyingat the foot of a tree, fatigued and exhausted, but otherwise unhurt. 

Some of these dogs are kept by the keepers in the royal parks andforests, and are used to trace wounded deer. An officer in the 1stLife Guards has two noble dogs of this description, for one of which, I am informed, he gave fifty pounds. In fact, they are by no meansuncommon in England. One distinguishing trait of purity in the breedis the colour, which is almost invariably a reddish tan, progressivelydarkening to the upper part, with a mixture of black upon the back. 

 * * * * *

"In the Spanish West India Islands, " says Bingley, "there are officerscalled chasseurs, kept in continual employment. The business of thesemen is to traverse the country with their dogs, for the purpose ofpursuing and taking up all persons guilty of murder, or other crimes;and no activity on the part of the offenders will enable them toescape. The following is a very remarkable instance, which happenednot many years ago. 

"A fleet from Jamaica, under convoy to Great Britain, passing throughthe Gulf of Mexico, beat upon the north side of Cuba. One of theships, manned with foreigners (chiefly renegado Spaniards), instanding in with the land at night, was run on shore. The officers, and the few British seamen on board, were murdered, and the vessel wasplundered by the renegadoes. The part of the coast on which thevessel was stranded being wild and unfrequented, the assassins retiredwith their booty to the mountains, intending to penetrate through thewoods to some remote settlements on the southern side, where theyhoped to secure themselves, and elude all pursuit. Early intelligenceof the crime had, however, been conveyed to Havanna. The assassinswere pursued by a detachment of the Chasseurs del Rey, with theirdogs; and in the course of a very few days they were every oneapprehended and brought to justice. 

"The dogs carried out by the Chasseurs del Rey are all perfectlybroken in. On coming up with the fugitive, they bark at him till hestops; they then crouch near him, terrifying him with a ferociousgrowling if he attempts to stir. In this position they continuebarking, to give notice to the chasseurs, who come up and secure theirprisoner. 

"Each chasseur can only hunt with two dogs. These people live withtheir dogs, and are inseparable from them. At home the animals arekept chained; and when walking out with their masters, they are neverunmuzzled nor let out of ropes, but for attack. 

"Bloodhounds were formerly used in certain districts lying betweenEngland and Scotland, that were much infested by robbers andmurderers; and a tax was laid on the inhabitants for keeping andmaintaining a certain number of these animals. But as the arm ofjustice is now extended over every part of the country, and as thereare now no secret recesses where villany can be concealed, theirservices in this respect are become no longer necessary. 

"Some few of these dogs, however, are yet kept in the northern partsof the kingdom, and in the lodges of the royal forests, where they areused in pursuit of deer that have been previously wounded. They arealso sometimes employed in discovering deer-stealers, whom theyinfallibly trace by the blood that issues from the wounds of theirvictims. 

"A very extraordinary instance of this occurred in the New Forest, inthe year 1810, and was related to me by the Right Hon. G. H. Rose. Aperson, in getting over a stile into a field near the Forest, remarkedthat there was blood upon it. Immediately afterwards he recollectedthat some deer had been killed, and several sheep stolen in theneighbourhood; and that this might possibly be the blood of one thathad been killed in the preceding night. The man went to the nearestlodge to give information; but the keeper being from home, he wasunder the necessity of going to Rhinefield Lodge, which was at aconsiderable distance. Toomer, the under-keeper, went with him to theplace, accompanied by a bloodhound. The dog, when brought to the spot, was laid on the scent; and after following for about a mile the trackwhich the depredator had taken, he came at last to a heap of furzefagots belonging to the family of a cottager. The woman of the houseattempted to drive the dog away, but was prevented; and on the fagotsbeing removed a hole was discovered in the ground, which contained thebody of a sheep that had recently been killed, and also a considerablequantity of salted meat. The circumstance which renders this accountthe more remarkable is, that the dog was not brought to the scentuntil more than sixteen hours had elapsed after the man had carriedaway the sheep. "

 * * * * *

An old writer--the author of "The History of the Buccaneers"--thoughfull of prejudice against the Indians, thus describes some of theatrocities practised by the Spaniards:--

"The Spaniards having possessed themselves of these isles (SouthAmerica), found them peopled with Indians, a barbarous people, sensualand brutish, hating all labour, and only inclined to killing andmaking war against their neighbours; not out of ambition, but onlybecause they agreed not with themselves in some common terms oflanguage; and perceiving that the dominion of the Spaniards laid greatrestrictions upon their lazy and brutish customs, they conceived anirreconcileable hatred against them, but especially because they sawthem take possession of their kingdoms and dominions. Hereupon theymade against them all the resistance they could, everywhere opposingtheir designs to the utmost; and the Spaniards, finding themselvescruelly hated by the Indians, and nowhere secure from theirtreacheries, resolved to extirpate and ruin them, since they couldneither tame them by civility nor conquer them by the sword. But theIndians, it being their custom to make the woods their chief places ofdefence, at present made these their refuge whenever they fled fromthe Spaniards: hereupon those first conquerors of the New World madeuse of dogs to range and search the intricate thickets of woods andforests for those their implacable and unconquerable enemies; thusthey forced them to leave their old refuge and submit to the sword, seeing no milder usage would do it: hereupon they killed some of them, and quartering their bodies, placed them in the highways, that othersmight take warning from such a punishment. But this severity proved ofill consequence, for instead of frightening them, and reducing them tocivility, they conceived such horror of the Spaniards, that theyresolved to detest and fly their sight for ever; hence the greatestpart died in caves and subterraneous places of woods and mountains, inwhich places I myself have often seen great numbers of human bones. "

 * * * * *

It has been already stated, that in the West Indies bloodhounds wereemployed to hunt the runaway blacks. I had one of these Cubanbloodhounds given to me a few years ago, and finding him somewhat moreferocious than I liked, I made a present of him to a keeper in theneighbourhood. He was put into a kennel with other dogs, and soonkilled some of them. Keepers, however, in going their rounds at night, are frequently accompanied by bloodhounds, and poachers are said tohave a great dread of them. 

[Illustration]

[Illustration: THE TERRIER. ]

THE TERRIER. 

 "Little favourite! rest thee here, With the tribute of a tear!

 * * * *

 Thou hast fondled at my feet, Greeted those I lov'd to greet; When in sorrow or in pain, On my bosom thou hast lain. I have seen thy little eye Full as if with sympathy. "

There are so many varieties of terriers, and so many celebrated breedsof these dogs, that it would be a difficult task to give a separateaccount of each. Some have a cross of the bull-dog; and these, perhaps, are unequalled for courage and strength of jaw. In the latterquality they are superior to the bull-dog. Then there is thepepper-and-mustard breed, the Isle of Sky, the rough and smoothEnglish terrier, and a peculiar breed, of which my own sensible littleJudy, now reposing at my feet, is one, besides some others. 

Perhaps there is no breed of dogs which attach themselves so stronglyto man as the terrier. They are his companions in his walks, and theiractivity and high spirit enable them to keep up with a horse through along day's journey. Their fidelity to their master is unbounded, andtheir affection for him unconquerable. When he is ill they will reposefor hours by the side of his bed, as still as a mother watching over asick and slumbering child; and when he is well they will frisk aroundhim, as if their pleasure was renewed with his returning health. Howwell do I remember this to have been the case with my faithful old dogTrim! Nothing would induce him to make the slightest noise till Icalled him on my bed, when I awoke in the morning. Night or day, henever left me for many years; and when at last I was obliged to take ajourney without him, his life fell a sacrifice to his affection forme. Alas, poor Trim!

This breed of dogs, the true English terrier, shows an invincibleardour in all that he is required to do, as well as perseveringfortitude. In drawing badgers and foxes from their holes, the severebites of these animals only seem to animate them to greaterexertions; and they have been known to suffer themselves to be killedby the former sooner than give over the unequal contest. 

The vignette at the end of this notice represents a favouritewire-haired terrier of mine, called Peter, well known for many yearsat Hampton Court. He had wonderful courage and perseverance, and wasthe best dog to hunt rabbits in thick hedge-rows I ever met with. Hewas also a capital water-dog; and he was frequently enticed by some ofthe officers quartered at Hampton Court to accompany them to theneighbouring lock of the river Thames, in which an unfortunate duckwas to be hunted. I was assured that on these occasions Peterdistinguished himself greatly, diving after the duck whenever itdived, and beating all the other dogs by his energy and perseverance. Peter was a general favourite, and perhaps this was partly owing tohis being a great pickle. He was always getting into scrapes. Twice hebroke either his shoulder-bone or his leg by scrambling up a ladder. He was several times nearly killed by large dogs, of which he wasnever known to show the slightest fear; and with those of about hisown size he would fight till he died. He has killed sixty rats in abarn in about as many minutes; and he was an inveterate foe to cats. Iremember once taking him with me on a rabbit-ferreting excursion. Before the ferrets were put in the holes, I made Peter quite awarethat he was not to touch them; and he was so sensible a dog thatthere was no difficulty in doing this, although it was the first timehe had seen a ferret. If a rabbit bolted from the hole he waswatching, he killed it in an instant; but when the ferret made itsappearance, Peter retreated a step or two, showing his teeth a littleas if he longed to attack it. Towards the end of the day I had gone toa little distance, leaving Peter watching a hole. Presently I heard asqueak, and on turning round I saw the ferret dead, and Peter standingover it, looking exceedingly ashamed at what he had done, andperfectly conscious that he had disobeyed orders. The temptation, however, was too great for him to resist. Peter at last got into badcompany, for he suffered himself to be enticed by the ostlers andothers into the taps at Hampton Court, and they indulged him in hisfondness for killing vermin and cats. He was a dog of extraordinarysense. I once gave him some milk and water at my breakfast, which wastoo hot. He afterwards was in the habit of testing the heat by dippingone of his paws into the basin, preferring rather to scald his footthan to run the risk of burning his tongue. He had otherpeculiarities. When I mounted my horse and wanted him to follow me, hewould come a little distance, and then all at once pretend to be lame. The more I called the lamer he became. He was, in fact, aware of mylong rides, and was too lazy to follow me. He played this trick veryfrequently. If I called him while I had my snuff-box in my hand, hewould come to me, pretending to sneeze the whole of the time. I havesaid so much about Peter, because he was a good specimen of one of thesmall breed of terriers. 

Terriers, more than any other breed of dogs, live so much in ourrooms, and are so generally our companions during our walks and rides, that they naturally imbibe a great degree of sensibility of the leastlook or word of their master. This very sensibility makes themextremely jealous of any preference or attention shown by their masterto another dog. I had an old terrier who never could bear to see me dothis. He showed it not only by his countenance in a remarkable way, but would fall upon any dog he saw me caress. Mons. Blaze gives aninstance of a dog having killed a young child, who had been in thehabit of fondling a dog belonging to the same owner, and showing fearand dislike of him. Another dog was so strongly attached to his masterthat he was miserable when he was absent. When the gentleman married, the dog seemed to feel a diminution of affection towards him, andshowed great uneasiness. Finding, however, that his new mistress grewfond of him, he became perfectly happy. Somewhat more than a yearafter this they had a child. There was now a decided inquietude aboutthe dog, and it was impossible to avoid noticing that he felt himselfmiserable. The attention paid to the child increased his wretchedness;he loathed his food, and nothing could content him, though he wastreated on this account with the utmost tenderness. At last he hidhimself in the coal-cellar, and every means were used to induce him toreturn, but all in vain. He was deaf to entreaty, rejected allkindness, refused to eat, and continued firm in his resolution, tillexhausted nature yielded to death. 

I have seen so much of the sensitiveness and jealousy of dogs, owingto their unbounded affection for their masters, that I cannot doubtthe truth of this anecdote, which was related by Mr. Dibdin. A ladyhad a favourite terrier, whose jealousy of any attentions shown to herby strangers was so great, that in her walks he guarded her with theutmost care, and would not suffer any one to touch her. The followinganecdote will prove the unchanging affection of these dogs. It wascommunicated to me by the best and most amiable man I have ever metwith, either in public or private life. 

He had a small terrier, which was much attached to him. On leavingthis country for America, he placed the dog under the care of hissister, who resided in London. The dog at first was inconsolable, andcould scarcely be persuaded to eat anything. At the end of three yearshis owner returned, and upon knocking at the door of his sister'shouse, the dog recognised the well-known knock, ran down-stairs withthe utmost eagerness, fondled his master with the greatest affection;and when he was in the sitting-room, the faithful animal jumped uponthe piano-forte, that he might get as near to him as possible. Thedog's attachment remained to the last moment of his life. He was takenill, and was placed in his master's dressing-room on one of hiscloaks. When he could scarcely move, his kind protector met himendeavouring to crawl to him up the stairs. He took the dog in hisarms, placed him on his cloak, when the dog gave him a look ofaffection which could not be mistaken, and immediately died. Therecan, I think, be no doubt but that this affectionate animal, in hisendeavour to get up the steps to his master, was influenced bysensations of love and gratitude, which death alone could extinguish, and which the approach of death prompted him to show. How charming arethese instances of the affection of dogs to a kind master! and howforcibly may we draw forth the strongest testimonials of love fromthem, by treating them as they deserve to be treated! Few peoplesufficiently appreciate the attachment, fidelity, and sagacity ofthese too-often persecuted animals, or are aware how much they sufferfrom unkindness or harsh treatment. 

Every one is acquainted with the pretty picture Sir Walter Scott hasdrawn of the affectionate terrier, which was the companion of his heroin "Guy Mannering. " We see the faithful Wasp "scampering at large in athousand wheels round the heath, and come back to jump up to hismaster, and assure him that he participated in the pleasures of thejourney. " We see him during the fight with the robbers, "annoyingtheir heels, and repeatedly effecting a moment's diversion in hismaster's favour, and pursuing them when they ran away. " We hear thejolly farmer exclaim--"De'il, but your dog's weel entered wi' thevermin;" and when he goes to see his friend in prison, and brings Waspwith him, we see the joy of the latter, and hear the remark elicitedby it--"Whisht, Wasp--man! Wow, but he's glad to see you, poor thing. "The whole race of pepper-and-mustard are brought before us--that breedwhich are held in such high estimation, not only as vermin-killers, but for their intelligence and fidelity, and other companionablequalities. 

I could not deny myself the pleasure of introducing this account ofthe terrier, as it describes so well their courage, fidelity, andattachment. "Wasp, " we are told, at the close of an eventful day, "crouched himself on the coverlet at his master's feet, having firstlicked his master's hand to ask leave. " This is part of the naturallanguage of the dog, and how expressive it is! They speak by theireyes, their tail, and by various gestures, and it is almost impossibleto misunderstand their meaning. There is a well-known anecdote of twoterriers who were in the habit of going out together to hunt rabbits. One of them got so far into a hole that he could not extricatehimself. His companion returned to the house, and by his importunityand significant gestures induced his master to follow him. He led himto the hole, made him understand what was the matter, and hisassociate was at last dug out. 

The following affords another proof of the sagacity of these dogs:--

A respectable farmer, residing in a village near Gosport, had aterrier dog who was his constant companion. His business frequentlyled him across the water to Portsmouth, to which place the dogregularly attended him. The farmer had a son-in-law, a bookseller atPortsmouth, to whose house he frequently went, taking the dog withhim. One day, the animal having lost his master in Portsmouth, aftersearching for him at his usual haunts, went to the bookseller, and byvarious gesticulations gave him to understand that he had lost hismaster; his supplications were not in vain, for the bookseller, whounderstood his language, immediately called his boy, gave him a penny, and ordered him to go directly to the beach, and give the ferryman themoney for his passage to the opposite shore. The dog, who seemed tounderstand the whole proceeding, was much pleased, and jumped directlyinto the boat, and when landed at Gosport, immediately ran home. Healways afterwards went to the bookseller, if he had lost his master atPortsmouth, feeling sure that his boat-hire would be paid, and whichwas always done. 

The same dog, when he was wet or dirty, would go into the barn till hewas clean and dry, and then scratch at the parlour-door foradmittance. 

The Rev. Leonard Jenyns, in his "Observations in Natural History, "records the following. --

"A lady, [Q] living in the neighbourhood of my own village, had someyears back a favourite Scotch terrier, which always accompanied her inher rides, and was also in the habit of following the carriage tochurch every Sunday morning. One summer day the lady and her familywere from home several weeks, the dog being left behind. The latter, however, continued to come to church by itself for several Sundays insuccession, galloping off from the house at the accustomed hour, so asto arrive at the time of service commencing. After waiting in thechurchyard a short time, it was seen to return home quiet anddispirited. The distance from the house to the church is three miles, and beyond that at which the ringing of the bells could be ordinarilyheard. This was probably an instance of the force of habit, assistedby some association of recollections connected with the movements ofthe household on that particular day of the week. "

An old house being under repair, the bells on the ground-floor weretaken down. The mistress of the house had an old favourite terrier, and when she wanted her servants, sent the dog to ring the bell in herdressing-room, having previously attached a bit of wood to thebell-rope. When the dog pulled at the rope, he listened, and if thebell did not ring, he pulled till he heard it, and then returned tothe room he had left. If a piece of paper were put into his mouth, with a message written on it, he would carry it to the person he wastold to go to, and waited to bring back the answer. 

Mr. Laing, who was steward to General Sharp, of Houston, near Uphall, had a terrier dog which gave many proofs of his sagacity. Upon oneoccasion his wife lent a white petticoat to a neighbour in which toattend a christening; the dog observed his mistress make the loan, followed the woman home who borrowed the article, never quitted her, but accompanied her to the christening, and leaped several times onher knee: nor did he lose sight of her till the piece of dress was atlast fairly restored to Mrs. Laing. During the time this person was atthe christening she was much afraid the dog would attempt to tear thepetticoat off her, as she well knew the object of his attendance. 

One of the most extraordinary terriers I ever met with belonged to aman named T----y, well known for many years in the neighbourhood ofHampton Court. The father of this man had been in a respectable way oflife, but his son wanted steadiness of character, and, indeed, goodconduct, and had it not been for the kindness of his late Majesty, King William the Fourth, he would have been reduced to poverty longbefore he was. T----y, through the interest of the king, then Duke ofClarence, was tried in several situations, but failed in them all. Atlast he was made a postman, but was found drunk one evening with allhis letters scattered about him, and, of course, lost his situation. He then took up the employment of rat-catcher, for which, perhaps, hewas better qualified than any other. His stock-in-trade consisted ofsome ferrets and an old terrier dog, and a more extraordinary dog wasseldom seen. He was rough, rather strongly made, and of a sort ofcinnamon colour, having only one eye; his appearance being in directcontrast to what Bewick designates the _genteel_ terrier. The othereye had a fluid constantly exuding from it, which made a sort offurrow down the side of his cheek. He always kept close to the heelsof his master, hanging down his head, and appearing thepersonification of misery and wretchedness. He was, however, awonderful vermin-killer, and wherever his master placed him, there heremained, waiting with the utmost patience and resignation till anunfortunate rat bolted from the hole, which he instantly killed in amost philosophical manner. The poor dog had to undergo thevicissitudes of hard fare, amounting almost to starvation, of cold, rain, and other evils, but still he was always to be seen at hismaster's feet, and his fidelity to him was unshaken. No notice, nokind word, seemed to have any effect upon him if offered by astranger, but he obeyed and understood the slightest signal from hisowner. This man was an habitual drunkard, at least whenever he couldprocure the means of becoming one. It was a cold, frosty night inNovember, when T----y was returning from a favourite alehouse, alongone of the Thames Ditton lanes, some of which, owing to the flatnessof the country, have deep ditches by their sides. Into one of thesethe unfortunate man staggered in a fit of brutal intoxication, and wasdrowned. When the body was discovered the next morning, the dog wasseen using his best endeavours to drag it out of the ditch. He hadprobably been employed all night in this attempt, and in his effortshad torn the coat from the shoulders of his master. It should bementioned that this faithful animal had saved his master's life on twoformer occasions, when he was in nearly similar circumstances. 

It may interest some of the readers of this little story to beinformed, that a few years before the event which has been relatedtook place, the unhappy man's wife died, leaving four very youngchildren. She was a most industrious woman, of excellent character, and her great misery on her death-bed was the reflection that thesechildren--two boys and two girls--would be left to the care of herdrunken husband. She was comforted, however, in her dying moments, byone whose heart and hand have always been ready to relieve thedistressed, with the assurance that her children should be taken careof. So when the excellent Queen Adelaide heard of the circumstance, she immediately sent for the four children, placed them under thecharge of a proper person, educated and maintained them, placed themin respectable situations in life, and continued to be their friendtill her death. This is one of numerous instances which could berelated by the author of her Majesty's silent, but unboundedbenevolence. 

It is time, however, to resume my anecdotes of terriers. 

A gentleman of my acquaintance had a favourite dog of thisdescription, which generally slept in his bed-room. My friend was inthe habit of reading in bed. On calling upon him one morning, he tookme into his bed-room, and showed me his bed-curtains much burnt, andone of his sheets. The night before he had been reading the newspaperin bed, with a candle near him, and had gone to sleep. The newspaperhad fallen on the candle, and thus set fire to the curtain. He wasawoke by his dog scratching him violently with his fore-feet, and wasthus in time to call for assistance, and save the house from beingburnt down, and also probably to save his own life. 

Another of my acquaintances has a very small pet terrier, a capitalrat-killer, who always evinces great antipathy to those animals. Shelately produced three puppies, two of which were drowned. Afterhunting for them in every direction, she returned to her litter, whereshe was found the next morning not only suckling her own whelp, but ayoung rat; and thus she continued to do till it reached maturity. Themorning on which her puppies were drowned there had been a battue ofrats, some of which were wounded and escaped. One of these latter wasthe young rat in question. This, no doubt, was taken possession of forthe purpose of relieving her of her superabundant milk. 

A gentleman who had befriended an ill-used terrier acquired such aninfluence over the grateful dog, that he was obedient to the leastlook or sign of his master, and attached himself to him and hischildren in a most extraordinary manner. One of the children havingbehaved ill, his father attempted to put the boy out of the room, whomade some resistance. The dog seeing the bustle, supposed his masterwas going to beat the boy, and therefore tried to pull him away by theskirts of his coat, thus showing his affection and sagacity at thesame time. 

Captain Brown relates the following:--

Sir Patrick Walker writes me:--"Pincer, in appearance, is of theEnglish terrier breed, but in manner indicates a good deal of theScotch colley, or shepherd's dog. He has a remarkably good nose, is akeen destroyer of vermin, and is in the habit of coming to the housefor assistance ever since the following occurrence:--He came into theparlour one evening when some friends were with us, and looking in myface, by many expressive gestures, evinced great anxiety that I shouldfollow him. Upon speaking to him, he leaped, and his whine got to amore determined bark, and pulled me by the collar or sleeve of thecoat, until I was induced to follow him; and when I got up, he beganleaping and gambolling before me, and led the way to an outhouse, toa large chest filled with pieces of old wood, and which he continuedby the same means to solicit to be moved. This was done, and he tookout a large rat, killed it, and returned to the parlour quite composedand satisfied. 

"Similar occurrences have frequently taken place since, with thisaddition, that as I sometimes called the servant, he often leaves meand runs in the same manner to get his assistance, as soon as he findsme quitting the room to follow him. In no instance has Pincer everbeen wrong, his scent is so very good. Once, when he had gotassistance, he directed our attention to some loose wood in the yard;and when part of it was removed, he suddenly manifesteddisappointment, and that the object of pursuit was gone. His mannerand look seemed more than instinct, and at once told his story. Aftera little pause, and some anxious looks, he dashed up a ladder thatrested against a low out-house, and took a large rat out of the spout, whither it had apparently escaped whilst Pincer came for assistance. "

Terriers appear to have a strong instinctive faculty of finding theirway back to their homes, when removed from them to long distances, andeven when they have seas to cross. There are instances of their havingdone this from France, Ireland, and even Germany. Their powers ofendurance, therefore, must be very great, and their energies as wellas affections equally strong. They have also an invincibleperseverance in all they do, to which every fox-hunter will bear histestimony. In my youth, when following the hounds, I have beendelighted in witnessing the energy of a brace of terriers, who weresure to make their appearance at the slightest check, running with anardour quite extraordinary, and incessant in their exertions to bewith the busiest of the pack in their endeavours to find. If the foxtakes to earth, the little brave terrier eagerly follows, and shows byhis baying whether the fox lays deep or not, so that those who areemployed in digging it out can act accordingly. In rabbit-shooting inthick furze or breaks, the terrier, as I have often witnessed, willtake covert with the eagerness and impetuosity of a foxhound. On oneof these occasions I saw an enormous wild cat started, which a smallterrier pursued and never quitted, notwithstanding the unequalcontest, till it was shot by a keeper. As vermin-killers, they aresuperior to all other dogs. The celebrated terrier Billy was known tohave killed one hundred rats in seven minutes. 

Nor are their affections less strong than their courage. A gentlemanin the neighbourhood of Bath had a terrier which produced a litter offour puppies. He ordered one of them to be drowned, which was done bythrowing it into a pail of water, in which it was kept down by a moptill it appeared to be dead. It was then thrown into a dust-hole, andcovered with ashes. Two mornings afterwards, the servant discoveredthat the bitch had still four puppies, and amongst them was the onewhich it was supposed had been drowned. It was conjectured that in thecourse of a short time the terrier had, unobserved, raked her whelpfrom the ashes, and had restored it to life. 

An excellent clergyman, residing close to Brighton, gave me thefollowing curious anecdote of a dog which his son, the lategreatly-lamented Major R---- brought to England with him from Spain. This dog was a sort of Spanish terrier, and his disposition and habitswere very peculiar indeed, unlike those of any dog I ever heard of. One day a teacher of music was going to one of her pupils, and as shewas passing at some little distance from the house of the owner ofthis dog, had her attention attracted to him. He first looked at hervery significantly, pulled her by the gown the contrary way to whichshe was going, and evidently wanted her to follow him. Partlyinstigated by curiosity, but chiefly because he held her gown tight inhis mouth, she suffered herself to be led some distance, when the dogbrought her into a field in which some houses were in the course ofbeing built. She then became alarmed, and seeing two or threelabourers, she asked them to drive away the dog. Finding, however, that he would not quit his hold, they advised her to see where the dogwould lead her, promising to accompany and protect her. Thus assured, she allowed him to lead her where he pleased. The dog brought her tothe houses which were being built. On arriving at them, it was foundthat the area had been dug out, and a strong plank placed across it, one end resting on a heap of earth. At this end the dog began toscratch eagerly; and on the plank being lifted up, a large beef bonewas discovered, which the dog seized in his mouth, and trotted awaywith it perfectly satisfied. My informant said that he had taken somepains to ascertain the accuracy of this anecdote from the young ladyherself, and that I might depend on its truth. 

A somewhat similar occurrence took place in my own neighbourhood, veryrecently. A lady, going to make a morning's call, passed the gatewayof a house, when her gown was seized by a dog, who pulled her thecontrary way to which she was going. She at last disengaged herself, and made her call. On coming out, the dog was waiting for her, andagain took her gown in his mouth, and led her to the gateway she hadpreviously passed. Here he stopped, and as the dog held a tight hold, she rang the bell; and on a servant opening the gate the animal, perfectly satisfied, trotted in, when she found that he belonged tothe house, but had been shut out. 

It may be also mentioned as an instance of courage and fidelity in aterrier, that as a gentleman was returning home, a man armed with alarge stick seized him by the breast, and striking him a violent blowon the head, desired him instantly to deliver his watch and money. Ashe was preparing to repeat the blow, the terrier sprung at him, andseized him by the throat. His master, at the same time, giving the mana violent blow, he fell backwards and dropped his stick. The gentlemantook it up, and ran off, followed by his dog, but not before theanimal had torn off and carried away in his mouth a portion of theman's waistcoat. 

The following fact will serve to prove that dogs are capable ofgratitude in no ordinary degree:--

A surgeon at Dover, seeing a terrier in the street which had receivedsome injury, took it home; and having cured it in a couple of days, let it go. For many weeks the grateful animal used to pay him a dailyvisit of a few minutes, and after a vehement wagging of his tail, scampered off again to his own home. 

A neighbour of mine has a terrier which has shown many oddpeculiarities in his habits. He has contracted a great friendship fora white cat, and evinced his affection for it the other day in acurious manner. The dog was observed to scratch a large deep hole inthe garden. When he had finished it he sought out the cat, dragged herby the neck to the hole, endeavoured to place her in it, and to coverher with the soil. The cat, not liking this proceeding, at last madeher escape. 

While two terriers were hunting together in a wood, one was caught bythe leg in a trap set for foxes. His companion finding that he couldnot extricate the other, ran to the house of his owner, and by hissignificant gesticulations induced him to follow; and by this means hewas extricated. 

Mr. Morritt, well known to the readers of the Life of Sir WalterScott, as his intimate and confidential friend, had two terriers ofthe pepper-and-mustard breed, or rather, as we prefer him to any othercharacter Sir Walter Scott has delighted us with, the Dandy Dinmontbreed. These dogs (for we avoid the feminine appellation when we can)were strongly attached to their excellent master, and he to them. Theywere mother and daughter, and each produced a litter of puppies aboutthe same time. Mr. Morritt was seriously ill at this period, andconfined to his bed. Fond as these dogs were of their puppies, theyhad an equal affection for their master, and in order to prove to himthat such was the case, they adopted the following expedient. Theyconveyed their two litters of puppies to one place, and while one ofthe mothers remained to suckle and take care of them, the other wentinto Mr. Morritt's bedroom and continued there from morning until theevening. When the evening arrived, she went and relieved the otherdog, who then came into the bedroom, and remained quietly all night bythe side of the bed, and this they continued to do day after day insuccession. 

This charming anecdote was communicated to me from a quarter whichcannot leave a doubt of its authenticity, and affords an affectingproof of gratitude and love in animals towards those who have treatedthem with kindness, and made them their friends. Such an anecdote asthis should be sufficient to preserve dogs from much of theill-treatment they meet with. 

I knew a very clever terrier belonging to a friend of mine. His namewas Snap. Now Snap one fine, hot, summer's day, accompanied hismaster, who was on horseback, on his way from London to theneighbourhood of Windsor. The road was very dusty, and, as I havesaid, the weather hot, and Snap was very thirsty. No water was metwith until Hounslow had been passed. At last a woman crossed the roadwith a bucket of water, which she had drawn from a neighbouring pump. On arriving at her cottage she placed it outside her door, and left itthere. Snap saw it and lapped up some of the water with evidentsatisfaction, his master waiting for him. When he had finished hislapping, instead of following, he deliberately inserted hishind-quarters into the bucket--took a good cooling bath--shook himselfin the bucket--jumped out--gave himself another shake, and thenfollowed his master. If Snap was lost in London, he would go to everyhouse usually frequented by his master; and if he then could not findhim, would return home. Snap, in fact, was an extraordinary dog. 

One night, a gentleman, between fifty and sixty years of age, wentinto a house of a particular description near the Admiralty. He hadnot been long there when he died suddenly. He had with him a small dogof the terrier kind, which immediately left the room. There wasnothing found on the gentleman's person to lead to a discovery of hisname or residence. About twelve o'clock, however, on the followingnight, three interesting young ladies, of very genteel appearance, between the ages of sixteen and twenty, arrived at the house in whichthe gentleman died, accompanied by the dog. They came in a chaise fromRichmond. It appears that the dog, immediately after the decease ofhis master, ran off to Richmond, where he usually resided. As soon asthe door was opened he rushed into the apartment of the young ladies, who were in the act of dressing themselves. He began to solicit theirattention by whines and cries, and his eyes turned to the door, as ifto invite them to follow him. Failing in this, he became more earnest, seized their clothes, and pulled them towards the door with so muchviolence, that one of their gowns was torn. This excited great alarm;and from the intelligence shown by the animal, it was resolved by theyoung ladies to resign themselves to the dog, which continued toentice them away. A chaise was accordingly ordered, and theyimmediately took their seats in it. The dog led the way, with its headalmost constantly turned back, and his eyes fixed upon the carriage, until he led them to the house near the Admiralty, where his masterhad died. There they alighted; but how great was their grief, horror, and surprise, to find their father dead in such a situation!

The deceased proved to be Mr. ----, an inhabitant of Lewisham, inKent, where he possessed a farm of considerable extent, and followedthe business of an auctioneer, and was greatly respected in hisneighbourhood. That night he dropped down in the house alluded to, when the people, supposing him dead, immediately gave the alarm, andthe body was conveyed to the Lord Cochrane hotel, within a few doors, in Spring Gardens. Here it was discovered that the spark of life wasnot totally extinguished. He was carried up-stairs and put to bed, andmedical assistance was called in; but in vain, --in a few minutes hewas a corpse. As the people of the house were carrying him up-stairs, a sum of 1100_l. _ fell from his pocket in bank-notes, tied up in abundle, and marked on the outside, "To be paid into Snow's, "--acircumstance sufficient in itself to show that he had not beendishonestly treated by the female who accompanied him into the housefrom which he was brought, or any other person belonging to it. Theinteresting little dog, after his return, remained at his post, thefaithful guardian of his beloved master's remains. He lay on the footof the bed, with his eyes constantly fixed on the body, with an eager, anxious, melancholy expression. 

The place was crowded with people, led by curiosity to thisinteresting scene. The dog never appeared to take any notice of thesestrange visitors, and no rude hand attempted to interrupt the littlemourner in his melancholy office. The verdict of the coroner's inquestwas, --"Died by the visitation of God. "

Another of the same breed of dogs evinced much sagacity on thefollowing occasion:--

His master occupied furnished lodgings near the Inns of Court inLondon. In the hurry of removing from them, neither he nor hisservants thought of the dog, who was not in the way when they quittedthe house. When the dog returned to it, finding his master gone, hetrotted off to Kensington, where an intimate friend of his masterresided, and very quietly and patiently made himself at home in thehouse. As he was well known, he was fed and taken care of, and at theend of three days his master called, and he then gladly went away withhim. 

In this instance it is, I think, evident, that the dog possessed asort of reasoning faculty, which induced him to suppose that the bestchance he had of finding his master was by going to a place to whichhe had formerly accompanied him; and he was correct in hiscalculation. 

This faculty was again exercised in the following manner:--

A gentleman residing in the Tower of London had a terrier which he oneday lost, about seven miles from town. The dog attached himself to asoldier, and notwithstanding the man went to town in an omnibus, thedog followed the vehicle. When the soldier alighted from it, he wentto the barracks in St. James's Park, the dog continuing close behindhim. On examining the collar, the name and residence of the owner ofthe dog were found on it. The soldier therefore brought him to theTower, and gave the above particulars. From this account it may besupposed that the dog, having been familiar with the sight ofGuardsmen at the Tower, had followed one of them in hopes that hebelonged to that place, and therefore would conduct him to it. 

I am not aware that any writer upon dogs has noticed one of theirpeculiarities, that of curiosity. Let me give a curious andwell-authenticated instance of this property, which was communicatedto me by the owner of the dog. This animal was a Scotch terrier, namedSnob, and certainly a more singular dog has seldom been met with. Hismaster was commander of the fleet on the South American station, andSnob embarked with him. He soon began to give proofs of hisextraordinary curiosity, for he liked to see everything that was goingforward in the ship. Snob, in fact, was a sort of Paul Pry. He watchedeverything that was to be done. One night the sailors were kept upaloft for some hours doing something to the sails; Snob remained onthe deck the whole time, looking very wise, and watching the sailorswith one paw lifted up. He would at other times wander between thedecks, looking at everything going forward; and when he had been shutin the cabin he has frequently been observed standing on his hind legslooking through the keyhole of the door, in order to watch theproceedings which were carried on. I have a great respect for Snob, who is still alive, and I have no doubt his curiosity is as great asever. 

A curious instance of ferocity and affection in a terrier bitch isrecorded by Mr. Daniel:--After a very severe burst of upwards of anhour, a fox was, by Mr. Daniel's hounds, run to earth, at HeneyDovehouse, near Sudbury, in Suffolk. The terriers were lost; but asthe fox went to ground in view of the headmost hounds, and it was theconcluding day of the season, it was resolved to dig him out, and twomen from Sudbury brought a couple of terriers for that purpose. Afterconsiderable labour, the hunted fox was got, and given to the hounds;whilst they were breaking him, one of the terriers slipped back intothe earth, and again laid. After more digging, a bitch-fox was takenout, and the terrier killed two cubs in the earth; three others weresaved from her fury, and which were begged by the owner of the bitch, who said he should make her suckle them. This was laughed at asimpossible; however, the man was positive, and the cubs were given tohim. The bitch-fox was carried away, and turned into an earth inanother county. The terrier had behaved so well at earth, that she wassome days afterwards bought, with the cubs she had fostered, by Mr. Daniel. The bitch continued regularly to suckle, and reared them untilable to shift for themselves. What adds to this singularity is, thatthe terrier's whelp was nearly five weeks old, and the cubs could justsee, when this exchange of progeny was made. 

The following is a proof not only of the kind disposition, but thesense of a terrier. 

A gentleman, from whom I received the anecdote, was walking one dayalong a road in Lancashire, when he was _accosted_, if the term may beused, by a terrier dog. The animal's gesticulations were at first sostrange and unusual, that he felt inclined to get out of its way. Thedog, however, at last, by various significant signs and expressivelooks, made his meaning known, and the gentleman, to the dog's greatdelight, turned and followed him for a few hundred yards. He was ledto the banks of a canal, which he had not before seen, and there hediscovered a small dog struggling in the water for his life, andnearly exhausted by his efforts to save himself from drowning. Thesides of the canal were bricked, with a low parapet wall rather higherthan the bank. The gentleman, by stooping down, with some difficultygot hold of the dog and drew him out, his companion all the timewatching the proceedings. It cannot be doubted, but that in thisinstance the terrier made use of the only means in his power to savethe other dog, and this in a way which showed a power of reasoningequally strong with that of a human being, under a similarcircumstance. 

I may here mention another instance of a terrier finding his way backto his former home. 

A gentleman residing near York went to London, and on his returnbrought with him a young terrier dog, which had never been out ofLondon. He brought him to York in one of the coaches, and thenceconveyed him to his residence. Impatient of separation from his formermaster, he took the first opportunity of escaping from the stable inwhich he had been confined, and was seen running on the turnpike roadtowards York by the boy who had him in charge, and who followed himfor some distance. A few days afterwards, the gentleman who had lostthe dog received a letter front London, acquainting him that the dogwas found lying at the door of his lodgings, his feet quite sore, andin a most emaciated condition. 

A few years ago, a blind terrier dog was brought from Cashiobury Park, near Watford, to Windsor. On arriving at the latter place he becamevery restless, and took the first opportunity of making his escape, and, blind as he was, made his way back to Cashiobury Park, his nativeplace. 

A correspondent informs me, that whilst he was taking a walk onesummer's evening, he observed two rough-looking men, having a bull-dogwith them, annoying a sickly-looking young gentleman, who wasaccompanied by a terrier. The bull-dog at last seized the latter, andwould soon have killed it, had not my correspondent interfered. He wasthen informed that a few years previous, when his master was in bed, this little terrier came to his bedroom door, and scratched andyelled to be admitted. When this had been done, he immediately rushedto a closet-door in the room, at which he barked most furiously. Hismaster, becoming alarmed, fastened the door, and having obtained theassistance of his servants, a notorious thief was discovered in thecloset. 

Mr. White, of Selborne, relates a pleasing anecdote of affection, which existed between two incongruous animals--a horse and a hen, andwhich showed a mutual fellowship and kindness for each other. Thefollowing anecdote, communicated to me by a clergyman in Devonshire, affords another proof of affection between two animals of oppositenatures. I will give it in his own words:--

"Some few months since it was necessary to confine our little terrierbitch, on account of distemper. The prison-door was constructed ofopen bars; and shortly after the dog was placed in durance, weobserved a bantam cock gazing compassionately at the melancholyinmate, who, doubtless, sadly missed its warm rug by the parlour fire. At last the bantam contrived to squeeze through the bars, and afriendship of a most unusual kind commenced. Pylades and Orestes, Nisus and Euryalus, could not have been bound by closer bonds ofaffection. The bantam scarcely forsook the poor prisoner's cell forits daily food, and when it did the dog became uneasy, whining tillher friend returned, and then it was most amusing to watch the actionsof the biped and quadruped. As the dog became worse, so did thebantam's attentions redouble; and by way of warming the dog, it tookits place between the forelegs, and then the little animal settledluxuriously down on the bird, seeming to enjoy the warmth imparted bythe feathers. In this position, and nestled closely side by side, didthis curious pair pass some weeks, till death put an end to the poordog and this singular friendship. It must be added for the bantam'shonour, that he was most melancholy for some time afterwards. "

The same clergyman also communicated to me the following anecdoteillustrative of the sagacity of terriers. 

He says that "his brother-in-law, who has a house in Woburn Place, andanother in the City, had a wire-haired terrier named Bob, ofextraordinary sagacity. The dog's knowledge of London and hisadventures would form a little history. His master was in the habit, occasionally, of spending a few days at Gravesend, but did not alwaystake his dog with him. Bob, left behind one day against his liking, scampered off to London Bridge, and out of the numerous steamersboarded the Gravesend boat, disembarked at that place, went to theaccustomed inn, and not finding his master there, got on board thesteamer again and returned to town. He then called at several placesusually frequented by his master, and afterwards went home to WoburnPlace. He has frequently been stolen, but always returns, sometimes insad plight, with a broken cord round his neck, and with signs ofill-usage; but still he contrives to escape from the dog-stealers. "

I once took a favourite terrier with me to a house I had hired inManchester Street. He had never been in London before. While thecarriage was unloading in which the dog had been conveyed, he wasmissed, and I could hear nothing of him for nearly a fortnight; at theend of that time he found his way back to the house, with a short cordround his neck, which he had evidently gnawed off. How he came to findhis way back is not a little to be wondered at. His joy on seeing meagain I cannot forget. Poor Peter! when he got old, and my ridesbecame too long for him, he pretended to be lame after accompanying mea short distance, and would then trot back without any appearance oflameness. 

The following anecdote proves the kind disposition of a terrier. Akitten, only a few hours old, had been put into a pail of water, inthe stable-yard of an inn, for the purpose of drowning it. It hadremained there for a minute or two, until it was to all appearancedead, when a terrier bitch, attached to the stables, took the kittenfrom the water, and carried it off in her mouth. She suckled andwatched over it with great care, and it throve well. The dog was atthe same time suckling a puppy about ten weeks old, but which did notseem at all displeased with the intruder. 

I had once an opportunity of witnessing the sense of a terrier. I wasriding on Sunbury Common, where many roads diverge, when a terrierran up, evidently in pursuit of his master. On arriving at one of thethree roads, he put his nose to the ground and snuffed along it; hethen went to the second, and did the same; but when he came to thethird, he ran along it as fast as he could, without once putting downhis nose to the ground. This fact has been noticed by others, but Inever before witnessed it myself. 

At Dunrobin Castle, in Sutherlandshire (then the seat of the Marquisof Stafford now of the Duke of Sutherland), there was to be seen, inMay 1820, a terrier bitch nursing a brood of ducklings. She had alitter of whelps a few weeks before, which were taken from her anddrowned. The unfortunate mother was quite disconsolate till sheperceived the brood of ducklings, which she immediately seized andcarried to her lair, where she retained them, following them out andin with the greatest care, and nursing them, after her own fashion, with the most affectionate anxiety. When the ducklings, followingtheir natural instinct, went into the water, their foster-motherexhibited the utmost alarm; and as soon as they returned to land shesnatched them up in her mouth, and ran home with them. What adds tothe singularity of this circumstance is, that the same animal whendeprived of a litter of puppies the year preceding, seized twocock-chickens, which she reared with the like care she bestows uponher present family. When the young cocks began to try their voices, their foster-mother was as much annoyed as she now seems to be by theswimming of the ducklings, and never failed to repress their attemptsat crowing. 

The foreman of a brickmaker, at Erith in Kent, went from home incompany with his wife, and left her at the Plough at Northend with hisbrother, while he proceeded across the fields to inspect some repairsat a cottage. In about an hour after his departure, his dog, a smallScotch terrier, which had accompanied him, returned to the Plough, jumped into the lap of his mistress, pawed her about, and whinedpiteously. She at first took no particular notice of the animal, butpushed him from her. He then caught hold of her clothes, pulled atthem repeatedly, and continued to whine incessantly. He endeavoured, also, in a similar way to attract the attention of the brother. Atlast all present noticed his importunate anxiety, and the wife thensaid she was convinced something had happened to her husband. Thebrother and the wife, with several others, went out and followed thedog, who led them through the darkness of the night, which was verygreat, to the top of a precipice, nearly fifty feet deep; and standingon the bank, held his head over, and howled in a most distressingmanner. They were convinced that the poor man had fallen over; andhaving gone round to the bottom of the pit, they found him, lyingunder the spot indicated by the dog, quite dead. 

The following anecdote is copied from a recent number of "TheField:"--

I well remember, when a boy, at Barton-upon-Humber, a certain "keel"employed in the Yorkshire corn-trade, on board which the captain had adog, possessed of some traces of terrier blood, smooth-coated, and ofa pure white colour, his neck and back adorned with stumpy bristles, which ruffled up at the slightest provocation--altogether he looked amongrel cur enough, but he was an excellent sailor, for he attendedhis master on all his trading expeditions, and never deserted hisship. One day, while the keel lay in Barton Haven, the dog was lost, and great was the consternation in consequence. Diligent search wasmade in the town and neighbourhood, but every effort to discover themissing animal proved unavailing. Month after month passed away, thekeel went and came on her accustomed avocations, and poor Keeper wasforgotten--considered by his master to be dead. Judge, therefore, theman's surprise when one day steering with difficulty his vessel intoGoole Harbour, which was crowded with shipping at the time, his glancesuddenly fell upon his faithful and long-lost dog, buffeting the waterat a considerable distance from the keel, but making eagerly towardsher. By the aid of a piece of tar-rope, which was dangling round thedog's neck, and a friendly boat-hook, he was lifted quite exhausted onto the deck of his master's craft, when it became at once apparentthat he had long been kept a prisoner, most probably on board avessel, by some one who had stolen him at Barton. The cause of thepoor dog's sudden reappearance was undoubtedly his having heard hismaster's well-remembered voice; but it is strange he should have beenable to distinguish at so great a distance, and when swelling thatchorus of hoarse bawling which arises from a hundred husky throatswhen a Yorkshire keelman is engaged forcing his craft into a crowdedharbour; and it is also equally touching, that when roused by thedistant sound, the poor beast should have plunged, encumbered as hewas with the rope he had just burst asunder, so gallantly into thewater--an element he was ill-adapted to move in, and in which hismaster declared he had never seen him before. 

[Illustration]

[Illustration: THE BLENHEIM SPANIEL. ]

THE SPANIEL. 

 "Though once a puppy, and a fop by name, Here moulders one whose bones some honour claim; No sycophant, although of Spanish race, And though no hound, a martyr to the chase. Ye pheasants, rabbits, leverets rejoice, Your haunts no longer echo to his voice; This record of his fate, exulting view-- He died worn out with vain pursuit of you. 'Yes, ' the indignant shade of _Fop_ replies, 'And worn with _vain pursuits_, man also dies. '" COWPER. 

Poor Doll! the very name of spaniel reminds me of you. How well do Inow see your long pendent ears, your black expressive eyes, yourshort, well-rounded mouth, your diminutive but strong legs, almosthidden by the long, silky hair from your stomach, and hear you singas you lie on the rug before a good fire in the winter, after a hardday's cock or snipe-shooting, wet and tired with your indefatigableexertions! Yes--strange as it may sound, Doll would sing in her way, as I have stated in a previous page; and such was her sagacity, thatin process of time when I said, "Sing, Doll, " she gave vent to thesounds, and varied them as I exclaimed, "Louder, louder. " All thistime she appeared to be fast asleep. --And what a dog she was in thickcover, or in rushy swamps! No day was too long for her, nor could awoodcock or snipe escape her "unerring nose:"--

 "Still her unerring nose would wind it-- If above ground was sure to find it. "

Monsieur Blaze also tells us, that a gentleman had a dog which hetaught to utter a particular musical note, and that the animal made acry which very much resembled it. He then sounded another note closeto the ear of the dog, saying to him, "Too high, or too low, "according to the degree of intonation. The animal finished by prettycorrectly giving the note which was required. 

An account is given in the "Bibliothèque Universelle, " of a spaniel, who, if he heard any one play or sing a certain air, "L'âne de notremoulin est mort, la pauvre bête, " &c. , which is a lamentable ditty, inthe minor key, the dog looked very pitifully, then gaped repeatedly, showing increasing signs of impatience and uneasiness. He would thensit upright on his hind-legs, and begin to howl louder and louder tillthe music stopped. No other air ever affected him, and he nevernoticed any music till the air in question was played or sung. He thenmanifested, without exception or variation, the series of actionswhich have been described. 

I knew a dog which howled whenever it was pitied, and another whoseear was so sensitive, that it could never bear to hear me make amoaning noise. I have likewise seen a dog affected by peculiar notesplayed on a violoncello. 

It is only now and then that such dogs as Doll are to be met with, andwhen they are, they are invaluable, either as sporting dogs or ascompanions. In the latter capacity Doll was quite delightful. In anearly May morning, when she knew that no shooting was going forward, she would frisk around me as I strolled in a meadow, gay with myfavourite cowslips, or run before me as I passed along a lane, whereprimroses were peeping out of its mossy sides, looking back every nowand then to see if I was following her. There was the dew stillglittering on the flowers, which, from their situation, had not yetfelt the influence of the morning sun, reminding me of some favouritelines by my favourite poet, Herrick:--

 "Fall on me like a silent dew, Or like those maiden showers, Which, by the peep of day, do strew _A baptism o'er the flowers_. "

How delightful it is to think of these bygone walks, and how pleasantto call to mind these traits of a favourite and faithful animal! Thepoet Cowper was never more engaging than when he describes his vainattempts to reach the flower of a water-lily, as he was strollingalong the banks of a stream attended by his spaniel, and afterwardsdiscovering that the sagacious animal had been in the river andplucked it for him. 

Another instance of wonderful sagacity in this breed of dogs may behere noticed. 

A gentleman shooting wild fowl one day on a lake in Ireland, wasaccompanied by a sagacious spaniel. He wounded a wild duck, which swamabout the lake, and dived occasionally, followed by the dog. The birdat last got to some distance, and lowered itself in the water, asducks are known to do when they are wounded and pursued, leavingnothing but his head out of it. The dog swam about for some time insearch of his prey, but all scent was lost, and he obeyed his master'scall, and returned to the shore. He had no sooner arrived there, however, than he ran with the greatest eagerness to the top of somehigh ground close to the lake. On arriving there, he was seen lookinground in every direction; and having at last perceived the spot wherethe duck was endeavouring to conceal itself, he again rushed into thewater, made directly to the spot he had previously marked, and at lastsucceeded in securing the wounded bird. 

A spaniel which had been kindly treated and fed, during the absence ofhis master, in the kitchen of a neighbour, showed his gratitude notonly by greeting the cook when he met her, but on one occasion he laiddown at her feet a bird which he had caught, wagged his tail anddeparted; thus showing that he had not forgotten the favours he hadreceived. 

The following old, but interesting anecdote, is taken from Daniel's"Rural Sports:"--

"A few days before the overthrow of Robespierre, a revolutionarytribunal had condemned M. R----, an upright magistrate and a mostestimable man, on a pretence of finding him guilty of a conspiracy. His faithful dog, a spaniel, was with him when he was seized, but wasnot suffered to enter the prison. He took refuge with a neighbour ofhis master's, and every day at the same hour returned to the door ofthe prison, but was still refused admittance. He, however, uniformlypassed some time there, and his unremitting fidelity won upon theporter, and the dog was allowed to enter. The meeting may be betterimagined than described. The gaoler, however, fearful for himself, carried the dog out of the prison; but he returned the next morning, and was regularly admitted on each day afterwards. When the day ofsentence arrived, the dog, notwithstanding the guards, penetrated intothe hall, where he lay crouched between the legs of his master. Again, at the hour of execution, the faithful dog is there; the knife of theguillotine falls--he will not leave the lifeless and headless body. The first night, the next day, and the second night, his absencealarmed his new patron, who, guessing whither he had retired, soughthim, and found him stretched upon his master's grave. From this time, for three months, every morning the mourner returned to his protectormerely to receive food, and then again retreated to the grave. Atlength he refused food, his patience seemed exhausted, and withtemporary strength, supplied by his long-tried and unexhaustedaffection, for twenty-four hours he was observed to employ hisweakened limbs in digging up the earth that separated him from thebeing he had served. His powers, however, here gave way; he shriekedin his struggles, and at length ceased to breathe, with his last lookturned upon the grave. "

The late Rev. Mr. Corsellis, of Wivenhoe, in Essex, had an oldgamekeeper who had reared a spaniel, which became his constantcompanion, day and night. Wherever the keeper appeared Dash was closebehind him, and was of infinite use in his master's nocturnalexcursions. The game at night was never regarded, although in the dayno spaniel could find it in better style, or in a greater quantity. Ifat night, however, a strange foot entered the coverts, Dash, by asignificant whine, informed his master that an enemy was abroad, andthus many poachers have been detected. After many years of friendlycompanionship the keeper was seized with a disease which terminatedin death. Whilst the slow but fatal progress of his disorder allowedhim to crawl about, Dash, as usual, followed his footsteps; and whennature was nearly exhausted, and he took to his bed, the faithfulanimal unweariedly attended at the foot of it. When he died the dogwould not quit the body, but lay on the bed by its side. It was withdifficulty he could be induced to eat any food; and though after theburial he was caressed with all the tenderness which so fond anattachment naturally called forth, he took every opportunity to stealback to the room where his old master died. Here he would remain forhours, and from thence he daily visited his grave. At the end, however, of fourteen days, notwithstanding every kindness andattention shown him, the poor faithful animal died, a victim of grieffor the loss of his master. 

In recording such an instance of affection, it is impossible not tofeel regret that animals capable of so much attachment should ever besubjected to ill-usage. Whenever they are treated with kindness andaffection, they are ready to return it four-fold. It is generallyill-treatment which produces ferocity or indifference, and the formermust be very great before the love of their master can be conquered. 

Mr. Blaine records the following story of a dog which he had found:--

"I one day picked up in the streets an old spaniel bitch, that someboys were worrying, from which her natural timidity rendered herincapable of defending herself. Grateful for the protection, shereadily followed me home, where she was placed among other dogs, inexpectation of finding an owner for her; but which not happening, shespent the remainder of her life (three or four years) in this asylum. Convinced she was safe and well treated, I had few opportunities ofparticularly noticing her afterwards, and she attached herselfprincipally to the man who fed her. At a future period, wheninspecting the sick dogs, I observed her in great pain, occasionallycrying out. Supposing her to be affected in her bowels, and having nosuspicion she was in pup, I directed some castor-oil to be given her. The next day she was still worse, when I examined her moreattentively, and, to my surprise, discovered that a young oneobstructed the passage, and which she was totally unable to bringforth. I placed her on a table, and, after some difficulty, succeededin detaching the puppy from her. The relief she instantly feltproduced an effect I shall never forget; she licked my hands, and whenput on the ground she did the same to my feet, danced round me, andscreamed with gratitude and joy. 

"From this time to her death, which did not happen till two yearsafter, she never forgot the benefit she had received; on the contrary, whenever I approached, she was boisterous in evincing her gratitudeand regard, and would never let me rest till, by noticing her, I hadconvinced her that I was sensible of her caresses. The differencebetween her behaviour before this accident and after it was so pointedand striking, that it was impossible to mistake the grateful sense shehad ever retained of the kindness which had been shown to her. "

Spaniels in cover are merry and cheerful companions, all life andanimation. They hunt, they frisk about, watching the movements oftheir master, and are indefatigable in their exertions to find gamefor him. Their neat shape, their beautiful coats, their cleanlyhabits, their insinuating attention, incessant attendance, andfaithful obedience, insure for them general favour. It is almostimpossible, therefore, not to have the greatest attachment andaffection for them, especially as few dogs evince so much sagacity, sincerity, patience, fidelity, and gratitude. From the time they arethrown off in the field, as a proof of the pleasure they feel in beingemployed, the tail is in perpetual motion, upon the increasedvibration of which the experienced sportsman well knows when he isgetting nearer to the game. As the dog approaches it, the moreenergetic he becomes. Tremulous whimpers escape him as a matter ofdoubt occurs, and he is all eagerness as he hits again on the scent. The Clumber breed of spaniels have long been celebrated for theirstrength and powers of endurance, their unerring nose, and for huntingmute--a great qualification where game abounds. This breed has beenpreserved in its purity by the successive Dukes of Newcastle, and maybe considered as an aristocratic apanage to their country seats. Norshould the fine breed of spaniels belonging to the Earl of Albemarlebe passed by in silence. They are black and tan, of a large size, withlong ears, and very much feathered about the legs. They are excellentretrievers; and those who have seen will not soon forget Sir EdwinLandseer's charming picture of the late Lord Albemarle's celebrateddog Chancellor, and one of his progeny, holding a dead rabbit betweenthem, as if equally eager to bring it to their amiable master. Thesedogs, like those of the Clumber breed, hunt mute, and seldom range outof shot. 

While on the subject of Lord Albemarle's breed of dogs, I may mentionan extraordinary fact which I noticed in a former work, and which Iwitnessed myself. I allude to the circumstance of a favourite doghaving died after producing a litter of puppies, which were adopted, suckled, and brought up by a young bitch of the same breed, who neverhad any whelps of her own, or indeed was in the way of having any. Theflow of milk of the foster-mother was quite sufficient for thesustenance of the adopted offspring, and enabled her to support andbring them up with as much care and affection as if they had been herown. Here was an absence of that _notus odor_ which enables animals todistinguish their young from those of others, and also of thatdistension of milk which makes the suckling their young so delightfulto them. Indeed it may be observed how beautifully and providentiallyit has been ordered, that the process of suckling their young is aspleasurable to the parent animal as it is essential to the support ofthe infant progeny. The mammæ of animals become painful whenover-distended with milk. Drawing off that fluid removes positiveuneasiness and affords positive pleasure. In the present instance, however, nothing of the sort was the case, and therefore we can onlylook to that kindliness of disposition and intelligence with whichmany animals are so strongly endowed as the reason of the singularadoption referred to. I am aware that this fact has been doubted, butit is too well known and authenticated to admit of the possibility ofany mistake. In this instance it must be allowed that the usuallydefined bounds of instinct were exceeded. If so, distress at hearingthe cries of the helpless young must have acted forcibly on the kindlyfeelings of a poor brute, and thus induced her to act in the manner Ihave described. 

Spaniels, like other dogs, possess the power of finding their way totheir homes from distances of considerable extent, and over groundthey have not before traversed. 

A lady residing at Richmond (Mrs. Grosvenor) gave the Rev. LeonardJenyns the following anecdote of a dog and cat. A little Blenheimspaniel of hers once accompanied her to the house of a relative, whereit was taken into the kitchen to be fed, when two large favourite catsflew at it several times, and scratched it severely. The spaniel wasin the habit of following its mistress in her walks in the garden, andby degrees it formed a friendship with a young cat of the gardener's, which it tempted into the house, --first into the hall, and then intothe kitchen, --where, on finding one of the large cats, the spaniel andits ally fell on it together, and, without further provocation, beatit well; they then waited for the other, which they served in the samemanner, and finally drove both cats from the kitchen. The two friendscontinued afterwards to eat off the same plate as long as the spanielremained with her mistress in the house. 

A gentleman residing at Worcester had a favourite spaniel, which hebrought with him to London inside the coach. After having been in towna day or two he missed the dog, and wrote to acquaint his family atWorcester of his loss. He received an answer informing him that heneed not distress himself about "Rose, " as she had arrived at her oldhouse at Worcester five days after she had been lost in London, butvery thin and out of condition. This same dog was a great favourite, and much domesticated. She formed a friendship with the cat, and whenbefore the fire the latter would lie down in the most familiar mannerby the side of the dog. When the dog had puppies, the cat was in thehabit of sucking her; and it happened more than once that both hadyoung ones at the same time, when the cat might be seen sucking thebitch, and the kittens taking their nourishment from the cat. 

A friend of mine, who then resided in South Wales, had a team ofspaniels, which he used for woodcock shooting. As he was leaving thecountry for a considerable length of time, he gave permission to someof his neighbours to take out his spaniels when they wanted them. Oneof these was a remarkably good dog, but of rather a surly disposition, and had, in consequence, been but little petted or noticed by hismaster. Notwithstanding this, nothing could induce him either tofollow or hunt with those to whom he was lent. In order, therefore, tomake him of any use, it was necessary to get his feeder to accompanythe shooting party, and the dog would then take to hunt in cover; butif this man returned home, the dog would find it out and be therebefore him. At the end of nearly six years his master returned intoWales, and near the house discovered his old dog, apparently asleep. Knowing his ferocious disposition, he did not venture to go close tohim, but called him by name, which did not appear to excite theanimal's attention. No sooner, however, did the dog hear an oldexciting _cover-call_, than he jumped up, sprang to his old master, and showed his affection for him in every possible way. When theshooting season came, he proved himself to be as good a dog as ever. 

Mons. Blaze says, that a fondness for the chase does not always make adog forget his fidelity to his master. He was one day shooting wildducks with a friend near Versailles, when, as soon as the first shotwas fired, a fine spaniel dog joined and began to caress them. Theyshot during the whole day, and the dog hunted with the greatest zealand alacrity. Supposing him to be a stray dog, they began to think ofappropriating him to themselves; but as soon as the sport was over, the dog ran away. They afterwards discovered that he belonged to oneof the keepers, who was confined to his house by illness. His duty, however, was to shoot ducks on one particular day of the week, when hewas accompanied by this spaniel; he lived six miles from the spot, andthe dog, knowing the precise day, had come there to enjoy his usualsport, and then returned to his master. 

One of the most extraordinary cases on record of a friendship betweentwo most dissimilar animals, a spaniel and a partridge, is narrated bya writer in whom implicit confidence may be placed:--"We were lately(in 1823) visiting in a house, where a very pleasing and singularportrait attracted our observation: it was that of a young lady, represented with a partridge perched upon her shoulder, and a dog withhis feet on her arm. We recognised it as a representation of the ladyof the house; but were at a loss to account for the odd association ofher companions. She observed our surprise, and at once gave thehistory of the bird and the spaniel. They were both, some years back, domesticated in her family. The dog was an old parlour favourite, whowent by the name of Tom; the partridge was more recently introducedfrom France, and answered to the equally familiar name of Bill. Itwas rather a dangerous experiment to place them together, for Tom wasa lively and spirited creature, very apt to torment the cats, and tobark at any object which roused his instinct. But the experiment wastried; and Bill, being very tame, did not feel much alarm at hisnatural enemy. They were, of course, shy at first; but this shynessgradually wore off: the bird became less timid, and the dog less bold. The most perfect friendship was at length established between them. When the hour of dinner arrived, the partridge invariably flew on hismistress's shoulder, calling with that shrill note which is so wellknown to sportsmen; and the spaniel leapt about with equal ardour. Onedish of bread and milk was placed on the floor, out of which thespaniel and bird fed together. After their social meal, the dog wouldretire to a corner to sleep, while the partridge would nestle betweenhis legs, and never stir till his favourite awoke. Whenever the dogaccompanied his mistress out, the bird displayed the utmostdisquietude till his return; and once, when the partridge was shut upby accident a whole day, the dog searched about the house, with amournful cry which indicated the strength of his affection. Thefriendship of Tom and Bill was at length fatally terminated. Thebeautiful little dog was stolen; and the bird from that time refusedfood, and died on the seventh day, a victim to his grief. "

A friend of mine has a small spaniel, which very recently showedgreat sagacity. This dog, which is much attached to him, was leftunder the care of a servant while his master paid a visit of a fewweeks in Hampshire. The poor animal was so miserable during hisabsence, that he was informed of it, and directed the dog to be sentto him in a hamper, which was done. He was overjoyed at the sight ofhis kind master, and remained perfectly contented at his new abode. When preparations were making for his departure, the day before ittook place, the dog was evidently aware of what was going forward, andshowed his dread of being again left behind, by keeping as close aspossible to the feet of his master during the evening. On getting upvery early the next morning, before daylight, he found on opening hisdoor that the apprehensive animal was lying before it, although it waswinter, and very cold. At breakfast the dog not only nestled againsthis feet, but rubbed himself so much against them, that he was at lastturned out of the room. On going into his dressing-room, where the doghad been in the habit of sleeping in a warm basket before a good fire, he found him coiled up in his portmanteau, which had been left opennearly packed. 

In this instance, the animal's knowledge of what was going forward wasvery evident, and his fear of being left behind could not be morestrongly expressed; thus affording another proof that animals arepossessed of a faculty much beyond mere instinct. 

A young gentleman lately residing in Edinburgh was master of ahandsome spaniel bitch, which he had bought from a dealer in dogs. Theanimal had been educated to steal for the benefit of its protector;but it was some time ere his new master became aware of thisirregularity of morals, and he was not a little astonished and teazedby its constantly bringing home articles of which it had feloniouslyobtained possession. Perceiving, at length, that the animal proceededsystematically in this sort of behaviour, he used to amuse hisfriends, by causing the spaniel to give proofs of her sagacity in theSpartan art of privately stealing; putting, of course, the shopkeeperswhere he meant she should exercise her faculty on their guard as tothe issue. 

The process was curious, and excites some surprise at the pains whichmust have been bestowed to qualify the animal for these practices. Assoon as the master entered the shop, the dog seemed to avoid allappearance of recognizing or acknowledging any connexion with him, butlounged about in an indolent, disengaged, and independent sort ofmanner, as if she had come into the shop of her own accord. In thecourse of looking over some wares, his master indicated by a touch onthe parcel and a look towards the spaniel, that which he desired sheshould appropriate, and then left the shop. The dog, whose watchfuleye caught the hint in an instant, instead of following his master outof the shop, continued to sit at the door, or lie by the fire, watching the counter, until she observed the attention of the peopleof the shop withdrawn from the prize which she wished to secure. Whenever she saw an opportunity of doing so, as she imagined, unobserved, she never failed to jump upon the counter with her forefeet, possess herself of the gloves, or whatever else had been pointedout to her, and escape from the shop to join her master. 

A gentleman lately communicated to me the following fact:--

His avocations frequently took him by the side of St. Bride'sChurchyard, in London. Whenever he passed it, in the course of sometwo or three years, he always saw a spaniel at one particulargrave--it was the grave of his master. There, month after month, andyear after year, did this faithful animal remain, as if to guard theremains of the being he loved. No cold, however severe, no rain, however violent, no sun, however hot, could drive this affectionatecreature from a spot which was so endeared to him. The good-naturedsexton of the churchyard, (and the fact is recorded to his honour, )brought food daily to the dog, and then pitying his exposure to theweather, scooped out a hole by the side of the grave, and thatched itover. 

The following is from the Percy collection of Anecdotes:--

Two spaniels, mother and son, were self-hunting in Mr. Drake's woods, near Amersham, in Bucks. The gamekeeper shot the mother; the son, frightened, ran away for an hour or two, and then returned to lookfor his mother. Having found her dead body, he laid himself down byher, and was found in that situation the next day by his master, whotook him home, together with the body of the mother. Six weeks didthis affectionate creature refuse all consolation, and almost allnutriment. He became, at length, universally convulsed, and died ofgrief. 

These two anecdotes would form a pretty picture of fidelity andkindness, and there is one (I need not mention Sir Edwin Landseer) whowould do justice to them. 

I may here remark, that the dogs of poor people generally show moreattachment to their masters than those of the rich. Their fidelityappears greater, and more lasting. Misery would seem to tighten thecord of affection between them. They both suffer the same privationstogether of hunger, cold, and thirst, but these never shake theaffection of a dog for his master. The animal's resignation isperfect, and his love unbounded. How beautifully has Sir Walter Scottdescribed the affection of a dog for his master, who fell down aprecipice in a fog near the Helvellyn Mountains, in Cumberland, andwas dashed to pieces. It was not till more than three monthsafterwards that his remains were discovered, when his faithful dog wasstill guarding them. 

 "Dark green was the spot 'mid the brown mountain heather, Where the pilgrim of nature lay stretch'd in decay; Like the corpse of an outcast abandon'd to weather, 'Till the mountain winds wasted the tenantless clay. Nor yet quite deserted, though lonely extended, For faithful in death his mute fav'rite attended, The much-lov'd remains of his master defended, And chas'd the hill fox and the raven away. "

Nor are the preceding anecdotes solitary instances of the affection ofdogs for their departed masters. Mr. Youatt, in his work on "Humanityto Brutes, " which does him so much credit, has recorded the followingfact, very similar to the one already given:--

Opposite to the house of a gentleman, near the churchyard of St. Olave, Southwark, where the receptacles of humanity are in many partsdilapidated, was an aperture just large enough to admit a dog. It ledalong a kind of sink to a dark cavity, close to which a person hadrecently been buried. It was inhabited by his dog, who was to be seenoccasionally moving into or out of the cavern, which he had takenpossession of the day of the funeral. How he obtained any food duringthe first two or three months no one knew, but he at length attractedthe attention of a gentleman who lived opposite, and who ordered hisservant regularly to supply the dog with food. He used, after a while, to come occasionally to this house for what was provided for him. Hewas not sullen, but there was a melancholy expression in hiscountenance, which, once observed, would never be forgotten. As soonas he had finished his hasty meal, he would gaze for a moment on hisbenefactor. It was an expressive look, but one which could not bemisunderstood. It conveyed all the thanks that a broken heart couldgive. He then entombed himself once more for three or four days, whenhe crawled out again with his eyes sunk and his coat dishevelled. Twoyears he remained faithful to the memory of the being he had lost, andthen, according to the most authentic account of him, having beenmissing several days, he was found dead in his retreat. 

From a letter written by a gentleman at Dijon in France, to his friendin London, dated August 15, 1764, we have the following account of amurder discovered by a dog:--

"Since my arrival here a man has been broken on the wheel, with noother proof to condemn him than that of a water-spaniel. Thecircumstances attending it being so very singular and striking, I begleave to communicate them to you. A farmer, who had been to receive asum of money, was waylaid, robbed, and murdered, by two villains. Thefarmer's dog returned with all speed to the house of the person whohad paid the money, and expressed such amazing anxiety that he wouldfollow him, pulling him several times by the sleeve and skirt of thecoat, that, at length, the gentleman yielded to his importunity. Thedog led him to the field, a little from the roadside, where the bodylay. From thence the gentleman went to a public-house, in order toalarm the country. The moment he entered, (as the two villains werethere drinking, ) the dog seized the murderer by the throat, and theother made his escape. This man lay in prison three months, duringwhich time they visited him once a-week with the spaniel, and thoughthey made him change his clothes with other prisoners, and alwaysstand in the midst of a crowd, yet did the animal always find him out, and fly at him. On the day of trial, when the prisoner was at the bar, the dog was let loose in the court-house, and in the midst of somehundreds he found him out (though dressed entirely in new clothes), and would have torn him to pieces had he been allowed; in consequenceof which he was condemned, and at the place of execution he confessedthe fact. Surely so useful, so disinterestedly faithful an animal, should not be so barbarously treated as I have often seen them, particularly in London. "

The following anecdote has been well authenticated, and the fact whichit records is still remembered by many individuals yet alive:--

Mr. Alderman Yearsley, of Congleton, in Cheshire, had a favouritelarge water-spaniel named Fanny, which, in the hands of Providence, was the instrument of saving a very valuable life. 

In the year 1774 Mr. Yearsley had gone out one evening with a friendto a tavern, and the dog accompanied him. A short time before he wasexpected home, and while Mrs. Yearsley happened to be washing herhands in the back kitchen, the spaniel returned and scratched at thedoor for admittance. Being let in, she followed her mistress into thekitchen, where she set up a strange sort of whining, or barking, andturned towards the street-door, as if beckoning her mistress tofollow. This she repeated several times, to the great astonishment ofthe lady. At length a thought struck her that Mr. Yearsley might havemet with some accident in the street, and that the spaniel was come toguide her to her husband. Alarmed at this idea, she hastily followedthe animal, which led her to Mr. Yearsley, whom she found in perfecthealth, sitting in the house to which he had gone. She told him thecause of her coming, and got herself laughed at for her pains. Butwhat were the feelings of both, when they were informed by their nextneighbours that the kitchen fell in almost the very instant Mrs. Yearsley had shut the street-door, and that the wash-hand basin shehad left was crushed into a thousand pieces! The animal was everafterwards treated with no ordinary attention, and died thirteen yearslater, at the age of sixteen. Her death, we regret to add, wasoccasioned by the bite of a mad dog. 

In the "Notes of a Naturalist, " published in Chambers' "EdinburghJournal, " a work which cannot be too much commended for its agreeableinformation, is the following anecdote, which I give with the remarksof the author upon it:--

"It appears to me, that in the general manifestations of the animalmind, some one of the senses is employed in preference to theothers--that sense, for instance, which is most acute and perfect inthe animal. In the dog, for example, the sense of smell predominates;and we accordingly find that, through the medium of this sense, hismental faculties are most commonly exercised. A gentleman had afavourite spaniel, which for a long time was in the habit ofaccompanying him in all his walks, and became his attached companion. This gentleman had occasion to leave home, and was absent for morethan a year, during which time he had never seen the dog. On hisreturn along with a friend, while yet at a little distance from thehouse, they perceived the spaniel lying beside the gate. He thoughtthat this would be a good opportunity of testing the memory of hisfavourite; and he accordingly arranged with his companion, who wasquite unknown to the dog, that they should both walk up to the animal, and express no signs of recognition. As they both approached nearer, the dog started up, and gazed at them attentively; but he discoveredno signs of recognition, even at their near approach. At last he cameup to the stranger, put his nose close to his clothes, and smelt him, without any signs of emotion. He then did the same to his old master;but no sooner had he smelt him, than recognition instantly took place;he leaped up to his face repeatedly, and showed symptoms of the mostextravagant joy. He followed him into the house, and watched his everymovement, and could by no means be diverted from his person. Here wasan instance of deficient memory through the organs of sight, but anaccurate recollection through the organs of smell. " In a precedinganecdote, I have recorded an instance of a spaniel recognising thevoice of his master after a lapse of six years. In that case, it wasevident that the recollection of a particular sound enabled the dog toknow his master, without having had recourse to the sense of smelling, which, however, would probably have been equally available had it beenexercised. 

About the year 1800, Mrs. Osburn, who lived a few miles out of London, went to town to receive a large sum of money granted her by Parliamentfor discovering a lithontryptic medicine. She received the money, andreturned back with it in her own carriage to the country, withoutanything particular happening to her on the road. It was evening whenshe arrived at home; and being fatigued with her journey, she retiredearly to rest. On her stepping into bed, she was somewhat surprised atthe importunities of a small King Charles's dog, which was a greatpet, and always slept in her bedchamber. He became exceedinglytroublesome, and kept pulling the bedclothes with all his strength. She chid him repeatedly, and in an angry tone of voice desired him tolie still, that she might go to sleep. The dog, however, stillpersisted in his efforts, and kept pulling the bedclothes; and atlength leaped on the bed, and endeavoured with the most determinedperseverance to pull off the bedclothes. Mrs. Osburn then conceivedthere must be some extraordinary cause for this unusual conduct onthe part of her dog, and leaped out of bed; and being a lady of somecourage, put on her petticoat, and placed a brace of pistols by herside, which she had always ready loaded in a closet adjoining herbed-room, and proceeded down-stairs. When she had reached the firstlanding-place, she saw her coachman coming down the private staircase, which led to the servants' rooms, with a lighted candle in his hand, and full dressed. Suspecting his intentions were bad, and with heroicpresence of mind, she presented one of her pistols, and threatened tolodge the contents of it in him, unless he returned to bed forthwith. Subdued by her determined courage, he quietly and silently obeyed. Shethen went into a back-parlour, when she heard a distant whispering ofvoices; she approached the window, and threw it up, and fired one ofher pistols out of it, in the direction from which the noiseproceeded. Everything became silent, and not a whisper was to beheard. After looking through the different rooms on the lower floor, and finding all right, she proceeded to bed and secured the door, andnothing further occurred that night. Next morning she arose at anearly hour, went into the garden, and in the direction which she hadfired the preceding night she discovered drops of blood, which shetraced to the other end of the garden. This left no doubt on her mindof what had been intended. Thinking it imprudent to keep so large asum of money in her house, she ordered her carriage to drive to town, where she deposited her cash. She then repaired to the house of SirJohn Fielding, and related to him the whole affair, who advised her topart with her coachman immediately, and that he would investigate thematter, and, if possible, discover and convict the offenders. But theparties concerned in this affair were never discovered; for the merefact of the coachman being found coming down the stair was notsufficient to implicate him, although there were strong grounds ofsuspicion. Thus, by the instinct and fidelity of this little animal, was robbery, and most likely murder, prevented. 

A spaniel belonging to a medical gentleman, with whom I am acquainted, residing at Richmond in Surrey, was in the habit of accompanying himwhen he went out at night to visit his patients. If he was shut out ofthe house of a patient, as was frequently the case, he would returnhome; and whatever the hour of the night might be, he would take theknocker in his mouth, and knock till the door was opened. It should bementioned that the knocker was below a half-glazed door, so that itwas easily within the dog's reach. 

"In the capital of a German principality, " says Capt. Brown, "themagistrates once thought it expedient to order all dogs that had notthe mark of having been wormed, to be seized and confined for acertain time in a large yard without the walls of the town. Thesedogs, which were of all possible varieties, made a hideous noise whilethus confined together; but a spaniel, which, as the person that hadthe care of them observed, sat apart from the rest in a corner of theyard, seemed to consider the circumstances with greater deliberation. He attended to the manner in which the gate of the yard was opened andshut; and, taking a favourable opportunity, leapt with his forepawsupon the latch, opened the gate, looked round upon the clamorousmultitude, and magnanimously led them the way out of the prison. Heconducted them in triumph through the gate of the town; upon whichevery dog ran home exulting to his master. "

The following anecdote, which was sent to me by the gentleman whowitnessed the occurrence, proves the sense and observation of aspaniel. He possessed one which was a great favourite, and a constantcompanion in all his rambles. One day, in passing through a field ofyoung turnips, he pulled up one of them, and after washing itcarefully in a rivulet, he cut off the top, and ate the other part. During this time the dog eyed him attentively, and then proceeded toone of the growing turnips, drew it from the earth, went up briskly tothe rivulet, and after dashing it about some time till he caused thewater to froth considerably, he laid it down, and holding the turnipinverted, and by the top, he deliberately gnawed the whole of it off, and left the top, thus closely imitating the actions of his master. 

A gentleman, who generally resided at Boston in Lincolnshire, had alsoa house at Chepstow in Monmouthshire, to which he occasionally went inthe summer. While at the latter place, a small spaniel dog which afriend at Chepstow had given him was taken on his return in a carriageto Boston. On the Sunday evening after the arrival at that place, thespaniel was attacked by a large dog, when out walking with his masteron the river bank, and ran away. Nothing was heard of him until thereceipt of a letter from Chepstow, announcing his arrival at thatplace in a famished and travel-worn condition. The distance is onehundred and eighty-four miles. 

The following anecdote is related by Mr. Blaine:--

"I was once called from dinner in a hurry to attend to something thathad occurred; unintentionally I left a favourite cat in the room, together with a no less favourite spaniel. When I returned I found thelatter, which was not a small figure, extending her whole length alongthe table by the side of a leg of mutton which I had left. On myentrance she showed no signs of fear, nor did she immediately alterher position. I was sure, therefore, that none but a good motive hadplaced her in this extraordinary situation, nor had I long toconjecture. Puss was skulking in a corner, and though the mutton wasuntouched, yet her conscious fears clearly evinced that she had beendriven from the table in the act of attempting a robbery on the meat, to which she was too prone, and that her situation had been occupiedby this faithful spaniel to prevent a repetition of the attempt. Herewas fidelity united with great intellect, and wholly free from the aidof instinct. This property of guarding victuals from the cat, or fromother dogs, was a daily practice of this animal; and, while cookingwas going forward, the floor might have been strewed with eatables, which would have been all safe from her own touch, and as carefullyguarded from that of others. A similar property is common to manydogs, but to spaniels particularly. "

It is impossible in a work on dogs to omit the insertion of somepretty lines on a spaniel by Mrs. Barrett Browning, and which do somuch credit to her kindly feelings and poetic talents:--

 "Yet, my pretty sportive friend, Little is't to such an end That I praise thy rareness! Other dogs may be thy peers, Haply, in those drooping ears, And this glossy fairness. 

 But of thee it shall be said, 'This dog watched beside a bed Day and night unweary, -- Watched within a curtained room Where no sunbeam broke the gloom Round the sick and dreary. 

 Roses, gathered for a vase, In that chamber died apace, Beam and breeze resigning-- This dog only waited on, Knowing that when light is gone Love remains for shining. 

 Other dogs, in thymy dew, Tracked the hares and followed through Sunny moor or meadow-- This dog only crept and crept Next a languid cheek that slept, Sharing in the shadow. 

 Other dogs of loyal cheer Bounded at the whistle clear, Up the woodside hieing-- This dog only watched in reach Of a faintly uttered speech, Or a louder sighing. 

 And if one or two quick tears Dropped upon his glossy ears, Or a sigh came double, -- Up he sprang in eager haste, Fawning, fondling, breathing fast, In a tender trouble. '"

[Illustration]

[Illustration: FRENCH POODLE. ]

THE POODLE. 

 "With all the graces of his fatherland; With well-cut coat, and ever ready hand-- See--the French poodle sports his life away; Obedient, wise, affectionate, and gay. " _Chronicles of Animals. _

These dogs, like all others, possess many amiable qualities, and areremarkable for the facility with which they learn several amusingtricks, and for their extraordinary sagacity. This latter quality hasfrequently made them a great source of profit to their masters, sothat it may be said of them, "c'est encore une des plus profitablesmanières d'être chien qui existent. " A proof of this is related by M. Blaze in his history of the dog, and was recorded by myself many yearsbefore his work appeared. 

A shoe-black on the Pont Neuf at Paris had a poodle dog, whosesagacity brought no small profit to his master. If the dog saw aperson with well-polished boots go across the bridge, he contrived todirty them, by having first rolled himself in the mud of the Seine. His master was then employed to clean them. An English gentleman, whohad suffered more than once from the annoyance of having his bootsdirtied by a dog, was at last induced to watch his proceedings, andthus detected the tricks he was playing for his master's benefit. Hewas so much pleased with the animal's sagacity, that he purchased himat a high price and conveyed him to London. On arriving there, he wasconfined to the house till he appeared perfectly satisfied with hisnew master and his new situation. He at last, however, contrived toescape, and made his way back to Paris, where he rejoined his oldmaster, and resumed his former occupation. I was at Paris some yearsago, where this anecdote was related to me, and it is now published inthe records of the French Institute. 

Perhaps the most remarkable instance known of what are called "LearnedDogs, " is that of two poodles, which were trained at Milan, andexhibited at Paris in the spring of 1830. The account of them is givenby a lady, whose veracity is not doubtful, and who herself saw theirperformance. "The elder, named Fido, " says she, "is white, with someblack patches on his head and back; and the younger, who is calledBianco, is also white, but with red spots. Fido is a grave and seriouspersonage, walks with dignity round the circle assembled to see him, and appears much absorbed in reflection. Bianco is young and giddy, but full of talent when he chooses to apply it. Owing to his moresedate disposition, however, Fido is called upon to act the principalpart of the exhibition. A word is dictated to him from the Greek, Latin, Italian, German, French, or English language, and selected froma vocabulary where fifty words in each tongue are inscribed, and whichall together make three hundred different combinations. An alphabet isplaced before Fido, and from it he takes the letters which compose thegiven word, and lays them in proper order at the feet of his master. On one occasion he was told to spell the word Heaven, and he quicklyplaced the letters till he came to the second e; he stood for aninstant as if puzzled, but in a moment after he took the e out of thefirst syllable, and put it into the second. His attainments inorthography, however, are not so surprising as those in arithmetic. Hepractises the four rules with extraordinary facility, arranges thedouble ciphers as he did the double vowels in the word Heaven, andrarely makes an error. When such does occur, his more thoughtlesscompanion is called in to rectify it, which he invariably does withthe greatest quickness; but as he had rather play than work, and pullsFido by the ears to make him as idle as himself, he is quicklydismissed. One day, the steady Fido spelt the word Jupiter with a _b_instead of a _p_; Bianco was summoned to his aid, who, aftercontemplating the word, pushed out the _b_ with his nose, and seizinga _p_ between his teeth, put it into the vacancy. Fido is remarkablefor the modest firmness with which he insists upon his correctnesswhen he feels convinced of it himself; for a lady having struck arepeating watch in his ear, he selected an 8 for the hour, and a 6 forthe three-quarters. The company present, and his master, called out tohim he was wrong. He reviewed his numbers and stood still. His masterinsisted, and he again examined his ciphers; after which he wentquietly, but not in the least abashed, into the middle of the carpet, and looked at his audience. The watch was then sounded again, and itwas found to have struck two at every quarter; and Fido received theplaudits which followed with as gentle a demeanour as he had borne theaccusation of error. 

"One occupation seems to bring the giddy Bianco to the gravity of theelder savant; and when the spectators are tired of arithmetic andorthography, the two dogs either sit down to _écarté_, or become theantagonists of one of the company. They ask for, or refuse cards, astheir hands require, with a most important look; they cut at theproper times, and never mistake one suit for another. They haverecourse to their ciphers to mark their points; and on one occasionBianco having won, he selected his number, and on being asked whatwere the gains of his adversary, he immediately took an O between histeeth, and showed it to the querist; and both seemed to know all theterms of the game as thoroughly as the most experienced card-players. All this passes without the slightest visible or audible sign betweenthe poodles and their master; the spectators are placed within threesteps of the carpet on which the performance goes forward; people havegone for the sole purpose of watching the master; everybody visitsthem, and yet no one has hitherto found out the mode of communicationestablished between them and their owner. Whatever this communicationmay be, it does not deduct from the wonderful intelligence of theseanimals; for there must be a multiplicity of signs, not only to beunderstood with eyes and ears, but to be separated from each other intheir minds, or to be combined one with another, for the varioustrials in which they are exercised. 

"I have seen learned pigs and ponies, and can, after these spectacles, readily imagine how the extraordinary sagacity of a dog may be broughtto a knowledge of the orthography of three hundred words; but I mustconfess myself puzzled by the acquirements of these poodles inarithmetic, which must depend upon the will of the spectator whoproposes the numbers; but that which is most surprising of all is theskill with which they play _écarté_. The gravity and attention withwhich they carry on their game is almost ludicrous; and thesatisfaction of Bianco when he marks his points is perfectly evident. "

Nor is this a solitary instance of the extraordinary sagacity of thepoodle. A lady of my acquaintance had one for many years, who was herconstant companion both in the house and in her walks. When, however, either from business or indisposition, her mistress did not take herusual walk on Wimbledon Common, the dog, by jumping on a table, tookdown the maid-servant's bonnet, and held it in her month till sheaccompanied the animal to the Common. 

A friend of mine had a poodle dog, who was not very obedient to hiscall when he was taken out to run in the fields. A small whip wastherefore purchased, and the dog one day was chastised with it. Thewhip was placed on a table in the hall of the house, and the nextmorning it could not be found. It was soon afterwards discovered inthe coal-cellar. The dog was a second time punished with it, and againthe whip was missed. It was afterwards discovered that the dog hadattempted to hide the instrument by which pain had been inflicted onhim. There certainly appears a strong approach to reason in thisproceeding of the dog. _Cause_ and _effect_ seem to have beenassociated in his mind, if his mode of proceeding may be called aneffort of it. 

In Messrs. Chambers' brochure of amusing anecdotes of dogs we find thefollowing:--

An aged gentleman has mentioned to us that, about fifty years ago, aFrenchman brought to London from eighty to a hundred dogs, chieflypoodles, the remainder spaniels, but all nearly of the same size, andof the smaller kind. On the education of these animals theirproprietor had bestowed an immense deal of pains. From puppyhoodupwards they had been taught to walk on their hind-legs, and maintaintheir footing with surprising ease in that unnatural position. Theyhad likewise been drilled into the best possible behaviour towardseach other; no snarling, barking, or indecorous conduct took placewhen they were assembled in company. But what was most surprising ofall, they were able to perform in various theatrical pieces of thecharacter of pantomimes, representing various transactions in heroicand familiar life, with wonderful fidelity. The object of theirproprietor was, of course, to make money by their performances, whichthe public were accordingly invited to witness in one of the minortheatres. 

Amongst their histrionic performances was the representation of asiege. On the rising of the curtain there appeared three ranges oframparts, one above the other, having salient angles and a moat, likea regularly-constructed fortification. In the centre of the fortressarose a tower, on which a flag was flying; while in the distancebehind appeared the buildings and steeples of a town. The rampartswere guarded by soldiers in uniform, each armed with a musket orsword, of an appropriate size. All these were dogs, and their dutywas to defend the walls from an attacking party, consisting also ofdogs, whose movements now commenced the operations of the siege. Inthe foreground of the stage were some rude buildings and irregularsurfaces, from among which there issued a reconnoitring party; thechief, habited as an officer of rank, with great circumspectionsurveyed the fortification; and his sedate movements, and hisconsultations with the troops that accompanied him, implied that anattack was determined upon. But these consultations did not passunobserved by the defenders of the garrison. The party was noticed bya sentinel and fired upon; and this seemed to be the signal to callevery man to his post at the embrasures. 

Shortly after, the troops advanced to the escalade; but to cross themoat, and get at the bottom of the walls, it was necessary to bring upsome species of pontoon, and, accordingly, several soldiers were seenengaged in pushing before them wicker-work scaffoldings, which movedon castors, towards the fortifications. The drums beat to arms, andthe bustle of warfare opened in earnest. Smoke was poured out involleys from shot-holes; the besieging forces pushed forward inmasses, regardless of the fire; the moat was filled with the crowd;and, amid much confusion and scrambling, scaling-ladders were raisedagainst the walls. Then was the grand tug of war. The leaders of theforlorn hope who first ascended were opposed with great gallantry bythe defenders; and this was, perhaps, the most interesting part ofthe exhibition. The chief of the assailants did wonders; he was seennow here, now there, animating his men, and was twice hurled, withladder and followers, from the second gradation of ramparts: but hewas invulnerable, and seemed to receive an accession of courage onevery fresh repulse. The rattle of the miniature cannon, the roll ofthe drums, the sound of trumpets, and the heroism of the actors onboth sides, imparted an idea of reality to the scene. 

After numerous hairbreadth escapes, the chief surmounted the thirdline of fortifications, followed by his troops; the enemy's standardwas hurled down, and the British flag hoisted in its place; theramparts were manned by the conquerors; and the smoke cleared away, tothe tune of "God save the King. "

It is impossible to convey a just idea of this performance, whichaltogether reflected great credit on its contriver, as also on theabilities of each individual dog. We must conclude that the firingfrom the embrasures, and some other parts of the _méchanique_, wereeffected by human agency; but the actions of the dogs were clearlytheir own, and showed what could be effected with animals by dint ofpatient culture. 

Another specimen of these canine theatricals was quite a contrast tothe bustle of the siege. The scene was an assembly-room, on the sidesand the further end of which seats were placed; while a music-gallery, and a profusion of chandeliers, gave a richness and truth to thegeneral effect. Livery-servants were in attendance on a few of thecompany, who entered and took their seats. Frequent knockings nowoccurred at the door, followed by the entrance of parties attired inthe fashion of the period. These were, of course, the same individualswho had recently been in the deadly breach; but now all wastranquillity, elegance, and ease. Parties were formally introduced toeach other with an appearance of the greatest decorum. The dogsintended to represent ladies were dressed in silks, gauzes, laces, andgay ribbons. Some wore artificial flowers, with flowing ringlets;others wore the powdered and pomatumed head-dress, with caps andlappets, in ludicrous contrast to the features of the animals. Theanimals which represented gentlemen were judiciously equipped; some asyouthful and others as aged beaux, regulated by their degrees ofproficiency, since those most youthfully dressed were most attentiveto the ladies. The frequent bow and return of curtsey produced greatmirth in the audience. On a sudden the master of the ceremoniesappeared; he wore a superb court-dress, and his manners were inagreement with his costume. To some of the gentlemen he gave merely alook of recognition; to the ladies he was generally attentive; to somehe projected his paw familiarly, to others he bowed with respect; andintroduced one to another with an air of elegance that surprised anddelighted the spectators. 

As the performance advanced the interest increased. The music wassoon interrupted by a loud knocking, which announced the arrival ofsome important visitor. Several livery servants entered, and then asedan-chair was borne in by appropriately dressed dogs; they removedthe poles, raised the head, and opened the door of the sedan; forthcame a lady, splendidly attired in spangled satin and jewels, and herhead decorated with a plume of ostrich feathers! She made a greatimpression, and appeared as if conscious of her superior attraction;meanwhile the chair was removed, the master of the ceremonies, in hiscourt-dress, was in readiness to receive the _élégante_, and the bowand curtsey were admirably interchanged. The band now struck up an airof the kind to which ball-room companies are accustomed to promenade, and the company immediately quitted their seats and began to walkceremoniously in pairs round the room. Three of the ladies placedtheir arms under those of their attendant gentlemen. On seats beingresumed, the master of the ceremonies and the lady who came in thesedan-chair arose; he led her to the centre of the room; Foote'sminuet struck up; the pair commenced the movements with an attentionto time; they performed the crossings and turnings, the advancings, retreatings, and obeisances, during which there was a perfect silence, and they concluded amid thunders of applause. What ultimately becameof the ingenious manager with his company, our informant never heard. 

The following anecdotes prove the strong affection and perseveranceof the poodle. The late Duke of Argyll had a favourite dog of thisdescription, who was his constant companion. This dog, on the occasionof one of the Duke's journeys to Inverary Castle, was, by someaccident or mistake, left behind in London. On missing his master, thefaithful animal set off in search of him, and made his way intoScotland, and was found early one morning at the gate of the castle. The anecdote is related by the family, and a picture shown of the dog. 

A poor German artist, who was studying at Rome, had a poodle dog, whoused to accompany him, when his funds would allow it, to an ordinaryfrequented by other students. Here the dog got scraps enough tosupport him. His master, not being able to keep up the expense, discontinued his visits to the ordinary. The dog fared badly inconsequence, and at last his master returned to his friends inGermany, leaving the dog behind him. The poor animal slept at the topof the stairs leading to his master's room, but watched in the daytime at the door of the ordinary, and when he saw his formeracquaintances crowding in, he followed at their heels, and thusgaining admittance was fed till his owner came back to resume hisstudies. 

A gentleman possessed a poodle dog and a terrier, between whom a greataffection existed. When the terrier was shut up, as was sometimes thecase, the poodle always hid such bones or meat as he could procure, and afterwards brought the terrier to the spot where they wereconcealed. He was constantly watched, and observed to do this act ofkindness. 

The sagacity of the poodle is strongly shown by the following fact. Mr. B----t, who was constantly in the habit of making tours on theContinent, was always accompanied by a poodle dog. In one of hisjourneys he was seated at a table-d'hôte next to a person whoseconversation he found so agreeable, that a sort of intimacy sprung upbetween them. The dog, however, for the first time he had ever done soto any one, showed a dislike to the stranger, and so much so, that Mr. B----t could not help remarking it. In the course of his tour he againfell in with the stranger, when the intimacy was renewed, and Mr. B----t offered him a seat in his carriage as they were both going thesame way. No sooner, however, had the stranger entered the carriage, than the dog showed an increased dislike of him, which continuedduring the course of the journey. At night they slept at a small inn, in a wild and somewhat unfrequented country, and on separating in theevening to go to their respective beds, the poodle evinced thegreatest anger, and was with difficulty restrained from attacking thestranger. In the middle of the night Mr. B----t was awoke by a noisein his room, and there was light enough for him to perceive that hisdog had seized his travelling companion, who, upon being threatened, confessed that he had entered the room for the purpose ofendeavouring to purloin Mr. B----t's money, of which he was awarethat he possessed a considerable quantity. This is not a solitaryinstance of an instinctive faculty which enables dogs to discriminate, by showing a strong dislike, the characters of particular individuals. 

A friend has sent me the following account of a poodle he once had:--

"Many years ago I had a poodle who was an excellent retriever. He wasa middle-sized, active dog, a first-rate waterman, with a nose soparticularly sensitive that no object, however minute, could escapeits 'delicate investigation. ' Philip was the hardiest animal in theworld--no sea would prevent him from carrying a dead bird through theboiling breakers, and I have seen him follow and secure a woundedmallard, although in the attempt his legs were painfully scarified inbreaking through a field of ice scarcely the thickness of acrown-piece. Philip, though of French extraction, had decidedly Irishpartialities. He delighted in a glass of grog; and no matter with whatlabour and constancy he had returned from retrieving, he still enjoyeda glass of punch. When he had drunk it, he was in high glee, runninground and round to try and catch his own tail, and even then allowingthe cat to approach him, which he was by no means disposed to do atother times. "

When my daughter was in Germany, she sent me the following interestinganecdote of a poodle, the accuracy of which she had an opportunity ofascertaining. 

An inhabitant of Dresden had a poodle that he was fond of, and hadalways treated kindly. For some reason or another he gave her to afriend of his, a countryman in Possenderf, who lived three leaguesfrom Dresden. This person, who well knew the great attachment of thedog to her former master, took care to keep her tied up, and would notlet her leave the house till he thought she had forgotten him. Duringthis time the poodle had young ones, three in number, which shenourished with great affection, and appeared to bestow upon them herwhole attention, and to have entirely given up her former uneasinessat her new abode. From this circumstance her owner thought she hadforgotten her old master, and therefore no longer kept her a closeprisoner. Very soon, however, the poodle was missing, and also thethree young ones, and nothing was heard of her for several days. Onemorning his friend came to him from Dresden, and informed him that thepreceding evening the poodle had come to his house with one of thepuppies in her mouth, and that another had been found dead on the roadto Possenderf. It appeared that the dog had started in the night, carrying the puppies (who were not able to walk) one after the other, a certain distance on the road to Dresden, with the evident intentionof conveying them all to her much-loved home and master. The thirdpuppy was never found, and is supposed to have been carried off bysome wild animal or bird, while the poor mother was in advance withthe others. The dead one had apparently perished from cold. 

The late Dr. Chisholm of Canterbury had a remarkable poodle, which acorrespondent informs me he has often seen. On one occasion he wastold, for the first time, by way of trial, to fetch his master'sslippers. He went up-stairs, and brought down one only. He was thentold, "You have brought one only, go and fetch the other;" and theother was brought. The next evening the dog was again told to bringthe slippers. He went up-stairs, put one slipper within the other, andbrought both down. This dog appeared to understand much of ourlanguage. When dining with Dr. Chisholm and others, his intelligencewas put to the proof by my correspondent. Some one would hide anarticle, open the door, and bring in the dog, saying, "Findso-and-so. " The poodle used to look up steadily in the face of thespeaker, until he was told whether the article was hid high or low; hewould then search either on the ground, or on the chairs andfurniture, and bring the article, never taking any notice of any otherthing that was lying about. He would, upon being ordered, go up-stairsand bring down a snuff-box, stick, pocket-handkerchief, or anything, understanding as readily what was said to him as if spoken to aservant. 

Another poodle would go through the agonies of dying in a verysystematic manner. When he was ordered to die, he would tumble over onone side, and then stretch himself out, and move his hind legs insuch a way as expressed that he was in great pain, first slowly andafterwards very quickly. After a few convulsive throbs, indicated byputting his head and whole body in motion, he would stretch out allhis limbs and cease to move, lying on his back with his legs turnedupwards, as if he had expired. In this situation he remainedmotionless until he had his master's commands to get up. 

The following anecdote was communicated to the Rev. Mr. Jenyns by Mrs. Grosvenor, of Richmond, Surrey:--

A poodle dog belonging to a gentleman in Cheshire was in the habit ofnot only going to church, but of remaining quietly in the pew duringservice, whether his master was there or not. One Sunday the dam atthe head of a lake in that neighbourhood gave way, so that the wholeroad was inundated. The congregation, in consequence, consisted of avery few, who came from some cottages close by, but nobody attendedfrom the great house. The clergyman informed the lady, that whilstreading the Psalms he saw his friend, the poodle, come slowly up theaisle dripping with wet, having swam above a quarter of a mile to getto church. He went into the usual pew, and remained quietly there tothe end of the service. 

The Marquess of Worcester (the late Duke of Beaufort), who served inthe Peninsular war, had a poodle which was taken from the grave of hismaster, a French officer, who fell at the battle of Salamanca, andwas buried on the spot. The dog had remained on the grave until he wasnearly starved, and even then was removed with difficulty; so faithfulare these animals in protecting the remains of those they loved. 

A poodle dog followed his master, a French officer, to the wars; thelatter was soon afterwards killed at the battle of Castella, inValencia, when his comrades endeavoured to carry the dog with them intheir retreat; but the faithful animal refused to leave the corpse, and they left him. A military marauder, in going over the field ofbattle, discovering the cross of the legion of honour on the deadofficer's breast, attempted to capture it, but the poodle instantlyseized him by the throat, and would have ended his career had not acomrade run the honest canine guardian through the body. 

Mr. Blaine, in his "Account of Dogs, " says that, "strange as it mayappear, it is no less true, that a poodle dog actually scaled the highbuildings of my residence in Wells Street, Oxford Street, proceededalong several roofs of houses, and made his way down by progressivebut very considerable leaps into distant premises; from whence, bywatching and stratagem, he gained the street, and returned home inorder to join his mistress, for whose sake he had encountered thesegreat risks. "

I am always glad to have an opportunity of acknowledging the kindnessof my correspondents, and now do so to the clergyman who very kindlysent me the following anecdote, which I give in his own words:--

"I have a distinct remembrance of Froll or Frolic, a dog belonging toan aged relation, once the property of her deceased only son, whichanimal, in his earlier days, doubtless gave evidence that his name wasnot given him unadvisedly, but during the yearly visits of myself tothat kind and indulgent person, I can remember nothing but a rathersmall though fat unwieldy poodle, whose curly, glossy coat (preservedafter his death), long yellow ears, and black nose, the rest of hisbody being perfectly white, betokened that he had been a beauty in histime. Froll was still a prodigious favourite with his mistress, although I confess my feelings towards him were rather those of fearthan any other, for to touch him was quite sufficient to evoke agrowl, or perchance a snap, from this pet of a dozen years or more. Across, snappish fellow he was at best, and well he knew the length ofTrusty the house-dog's chain, which less favoured quadruped was neverlet loose by day, from a well-grounded fear that he might, if allowed, resent, by summary punishment, the constant insults he was doomed tosubmit to from this most petted and presumptuous myrmidon of thedrawing-room. With all this, although time and over-feeding had souredhis temper, Froll still retained much of, if not all, his formerintelligence (a trait so peculiar to his species), declared by manylong-past but still vaunted proofs of his being a wonder in his way. One of his peculiarities was a fondness for apples--not indeed allapples, but those which grew on a particular tree, called 'Froll'stree, ' and no others; this tree was, by the way, the best in thegarden, and the small, sweet, delicate fruit therefrom (myreminiscence is distinct on this point) were carefully preserved forthis canine favourite. Nothing would entice him to eat any other sortof apple. And in the season he would constantly urge his mistress intothe garden by repeated barking, and other unmistakable symptoms. Hisdaily meals, too, of which I think there were three regular ones, wereevents in themselves, the careful attention to which tended perhaps torelieve the monotony of a country life: they are indeed not speedilyto be forgotten by those who witnessed them. He would take food fromno one but his mistress or her maid, which latter person was his chiefpurveyor, who had been an inmate of the house contemporary withhimself, or I believe long before; but this feeding was generally atask of great trouble, such coaxing and humouring on the one hand, such growling and snarling on the other, has been perhaps seldomheard. At length, after much beseeching on the part of the maid, and afew words of entreaty from the mistress, he would condescend to eat;but never, I believe, without some symptoms of discontent, how savourysoever the morsel, submitting to that as a favour which is generallysnatched at and devoured with so much gusto and avidity by most othersof his tribe. I should not have entered into these peculiarities, which are scarcely evidence of any intelligence beyond that of otherdogs, were it not that the circumstances attending his death werereally extraordinary, the more so when the character of the dog isconsidered; and as we have so often heard of a presentiment of thatgreat change being strongly imprinted on human minds, so there werenot wanting some of the then inmates of the house, who attributed hisunwonted behaviour on the eve of his death to the same cause. The dogslept constantly in his mistress's bed-room, but, contrary to customon the night in question, he pertinaciously refused to remain there. My brother and myself, who were then little boys, were, to our greatsurprise, aroused in the course of the night by an unwonted scratchingat the door of our apartment, which we immediately opened, and, to ourequal delight and wonder, were saluted by Froll's jumping up andlicking our hands and faces--certainly he never appeared in betterhealth and spirits in his life. Whether he did this to atone for hisformer uncourteous behaviour towards us, or was urged by someunaccountable feeling of amiability as well as restlessness, I cannotsay, but certain it is his gentler faculties were that night for oncearoused, for this unaccustomed compliment I can safely affirm we neverpersonally received at any former period of our acquaintance. After atime he left us, charmed at experiencing these new and flatteringdemonstrations; which joy was, alas! doomed to be sadly and speedilyextinguished. When the morning came, the distressed countenance ofthe servant who called us, portended some evil tidings, which wasquickly followed by the unexpected intelligence of the demise of poorFroll. We hastily accompanied the servant into the coachman's sleepingapartment, and there, under the bed, lay the poor dog. It had pleasedhim to go there to die, having previously aroused every individual inthe house during the night by scratching at their several chambers oneafter another, and saluting them in the same amiable manner he had mybrother and myself. "

This anecdote could be well authenticated by most of the persons thenin the house, who are still alive. 

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

THE ESQUIMAUX DOG. 

Dr. Richardson, in his "American Fauna, " mentions as a curious fact, that those Indian nations who still preserve their ancient mode oflife, have dogs which bear a strong resemblance to wolves. Thus it iswith the Esquimaux dogs. They are extremely like the grey wolves ofthe Arctic Circle in form and colour, and nearly equal to them insize. They also bear some resemblance to the Pomeranian breed, although the latter are much smaller. 

It is curious that almost every nation on earth has some particulartraditions regarding the dog. The Esquimaux, a nation inhabiting thepolar regions, have a singular fable amongst them respecting theorigin of the Dog-Rib Indians, a tribe which inhabits the northernconfines of the American continent. It is thus detailed in CaptainFranklin's "Second Journey to the Polar Sea:"--

"For a long time Chapawee's descendants were united as one family, butat length some young men being accidentally killed in a game, aquarrel ensued, and a general dispersion of mankind took place. OneIndian fixed his residence on the borders of the lake, taking with hima dog big with young. The pups in due time were littered, and theIndian, when he went out to fish, carefully tied them up to preventtheir straying. Several times, as he approached his tent, he heard anoise of children talking and playing; but on entering it, he onlyperceived the pups tied up as usual. His curiosity being excited bythe voices he had heard, he determined to watch; and one daypretending to go out and fish, according to custom, he concealedhimself in a convenient place. In a short time he again heard voices, and rushing suddenly into the tent, beheld some beautiful childrensporting and laughing, with the dog-skins lying by their side. Hethrew the skins into the fire, and the children, retaining theirproper forms, grew up, and were the ancestors of the Dog-Rib nation. "

Captain Lyon, who had so many opportunities of studying the habits ofthe Esquimaux dog, has given so interesting an account of it that Icannot do better than quote his own words:--

"Having myself possessed, during our hard winter, a team of elevenfine dogs, I was enabled to become better acquainted with their goodqualities than could possibly have been the case by the casual visitsof the Esquimaux to the ships. The form of the Esquimaux dog is verysimilar to that of our shepherds' dog in England, but it is moremuscular and broad-chested, owing to the constant and severe work towhich he is brought up. His ears are pointed, and the aspect of thehead is somewhat savage. In size a fine dog is about the height of theNewfoundland breed, but broad like a mastiff in every part except thenose. The hair of the coat is in summer, as well as in winter, verylong, but during the cold season a soft, downy under-covering isfound, which does not appear in warm weather. Young dogs are put intoharness as soon as they can walk, and being tied up, soon acquire ahabit of pulling, in their attempts to recover their liberty, or toroam in quest of their mother. When about two months old, they are putinto the sledge with the grown dogs, and sometimes eight or ten littleones are under the charge of some steady old animal, where, withfrequent and sometimes severe beatings, they soon receive a competenteducation. Every dog is distinguished by a particular name, and theangry repetition of it has an effect as instantaneous as anapplication of the whip, which instrument is of an immense length, having a lash from eighteen to twenty-four feet, while the handle isone foot only; with this, by throwing it on one side or the other ofthe leader, and repeating certain words, the animals are guided orstopped. When the sledge is stopped they are all taught to lie down, by throwing the whip gently over their backs, and they will remain inthis position even for hours, until their master returns to them. Awalrus is frequently drawn along by three or four of these dogs, andseals are sometimes carried home in the same manner, though I have insome instances seen a dog bring home the greater part of a seal inpanniers placed across his back. The latter mode of conveyance isoften used in summer, and the dogs also carry skins or furnitureoverland to the sledges when their masters are going on anyexpedition. It might be supposed that in so cold a climate theseanimals had peculiar periods of gestation, like the wild creatures, but, on the contrary, they bear young at every season of the year, andseldom exceed five at a litter. Cold has very little effect on them;for although the dogs at the huts slept within the snow passages, mineat the ships had no shelter, but lay alongside, with the thermometerat 42° and 44°, and with as little concern as if the weather had beenmild. I found, by several experiments, that three of my dogs coulddraw me on a sledge, weighing one hundred pounds, at the rate of onemile in six minutes; and as a proof of the strength of a well-growndog, my leader drew one hundred and ninety-six pounds singly, and tothe same distance, in eight minutes. At another time seven of my dogsran a mile in four minutes, drawing a heavy sledge full of men. Afterwards, in carrying stores to the Fury, one mile distant, ninedogs drew one thousand six hundred and eleven pounds in the space ofnine minutes. My sledge was on runners, neither shod nor iced; but hadthe runners been iced, at least forty pounds weight would have beenadded for each dog. "

Captain Lyon, in another passage, observes:--"Our eleven dogs werelarge, and even majestic-looking animals; and an old one of peculiarsagacity was placed at their head by having a longer trace, so as tolead them through the safest and driest places, these animals havingsuch a dread of water as to receive a severe beating before they wouldswim a foot. The leader was instant in obeying the voice of thedriver, who never beat, but repeatedly called to him by name. When thedogs slackened their pace, the sight of a seal or bird was sufficientto put them instantly to their full speed; and even though none ofthese might be seen on the ice, the cry of "a seal!"--"a bear!"--or "abird!" &c. , was enough to give play to the legs and voices of thewhole pack. It was a beautiful sight to observe the two sledges racingat full speed to the same object, the dogs and men in full cry, andthe vehicles splashing through the holes of water with the velocityand spirit of rival stage-coaches. There is something of the spirit ofprofessed whips in these wild races, for the young men delight inpassing each other's sledge, and jockeying the hinder one by crossingthe path. In passing on different routes the right hand is yielded, and should an inexperienced driver endeavour to take the left, hewould have some difficulty in persuading his team to do so. The onlyunpleasant circumstance attending these races is, that a poor dog issometimes entangled and thrown down, when the sledge, with perhaps aheavy load, is unavoidably drawn over his body. The driver sits on thefore part of the vehicle, from whence he jumps when requisite to pullit clear of any impediments which may lie in the way, and he alsoguides it by pressing either foot on the ice. The voice and long whipanswer all the purposes of reins, and the dogs can be made to turn acorner as dexterously as horses, though not in such an orderly manner, since they are constantly fighting; and I do not recollect to haveseen one receive a flogging without instantly wreaking his passion onthe ears of his neighbours. The cries of the men are not moremelodious than those of the animals; and their wild looks and gestureswhen animated, give them an appearance of devils driving wolves beforethem. Our dogs had eaten nothing for forty-eight hours, and could nothave gone over less than seventy miles of ground; yet they returned, to all appearance, as fresh and active as when they first set out. "

Such is the Esquimaux dog, an animal of the greatest value in the coldregions of the Arctic circle. In addition to Captain Lyon's veryinteresting account of them, it may be mentioned that they are ofgreat use to their masters in discovering by the scent the winterretreats which the bears make under the snow. Their endurance, too, never tires, and their fidelity is never shaken by blows and starving:they are obstinate in their nature, but the women, who treat them withmore kindness than the men, and who nurse them in their helplessstate, or when they are sick, have an unbounded command over theiraffections. 

I am indebted to Colonel Hamilton Smith for the following account ofan Esquimaux dog brought to this country, and which he received fromMr. Cleghorn, the owner of the animal:--

"The Esquimaux dog is possessed of very great sagacity--in somerespects, more than any dog I have ever seen. I may mention aninstance. In coming along a country road a hare started, and in placeof running after the hare in the usual way, the dog pushed himselfthrough the hedge, crossed the field, and, when past the hare, throughthe hedge again, as if to meet her direct. It is needless to remark, that the hare doubled through the hedge; but had it been in an opencountry, there would have been a fine chase. One particularcharacteristic of the dog is, that he forms a strong attachment to hismaster, and however kind others may be, they never can gain hisaffection, even from coaxing with food or otherwise; and, whenever setat liberty, he rushes to the spot where the individual of hisattachment is. I may give one or two instances among many. One morninghe was let loose by some of the men on the ground, when he instantlybounded from them to my house, and the kitchen-door being open, foundhis way through it; when, to the great amazement of all, he leapedinto the bed where I was sleeping, and fawned in the most affectionatemanner upon me. Another instance was, when the dog was with me goingup the steep bank of the Prince's Street garden, I slipped my foot andcame down, when he immediately seized me by the coat, as if to renderassistance in raising me. Notwithstanding this particular affection tosome, he was in the habit of biting others, without giving the leastwarning or indication of anger. He was remarkably cunning, for he wasin the practice of strewing his meat around him, to induce fowls orrats to come within his reach while he lay watching, as if asleep, when he instantly pounced upon them, and always with success. He wasswift, and had a noble appearance when running. "

[Illustration: OTTER HUNTING. ]

THE OTTER TERRIER. 

 "How greedily They snuff the fishy steam, that to each blade Rank scenting clings! See! how the morning dews They sweep, that from their feet besprinkling drop Dispersed, and leave a track oblique behind. Now on firm land they range, then in the flood They plunge tumultuous; or through reedy pools Rustling they work their way; no holt escapes Their curious search. With quick sensation now The fuming vapour stings; flutter their hearts, And joy redoubled bursts from every mouth In louder symphonies. Yon hollow trunk, That with its hoary head incurv'd salutes The passing wave, must be the tyrant's fort And dread abode. How these impatient climb, While others at the root incessant bay!-- They put him down. "--SOMERVILLE. 

The above is an animated and beautiful description of an otter hunt, an old English sport fast falling into disuse, and the breed of thereal otter-hound is either extinct or very nearly so. In stating this, I am aware that there are still many dogs which are calledotter-hounds; but it may be doubted whether they possess that peculiarformation which belongs exclusively to the true breed. Few things innature are more curious and interesting than this formation, and itshows forcibly how beautifully everything has been arranged for theinstincts and several habits of animals. The true otter-hound iscompletely web-footed, even to the roots of its claws; thus enablingit to swim with much greater facility and swiftness than other dogs. But it has another extraordinary formation; the ear possesses a sortof flap, which covering the aperture excludes the entrance of thewater, and thus the dog is enabled to dive after the otter withoutthat inconvenience which it would otherwise experience. The Earl ofCadogan has, what his Lordship considers, the last of the breed of thetrue otter-hound. It was a present from Sir Walter Scott. Lord Cadoganoffered one hundred pounds for another dog of the same breed, but of adifferent sex; but I believe without being able to procure one withthose true marks which are confined to the authentic breed. A gipsywas, indeed, said to have possessed one, but he refused to part withit. 

Those who saw the exhibition of pictures in the Royal Academy in 1844will recollect a large, interesting, and beautiful picture by SirEdwin Landseer of a pack of otter-hounds. The picture describes thehunt at the time of the termination of the chase and the capture ofthe otter. The animal is impaled on the huntsman's spear, while therough, shaggy, and picturesque-looking pack are represented with eyesintently fixed on the amphibious beast, and howling in uncouth chorusround their agonized and dying prey. 

An otter-hunt is a cheerful and inspiriting sport, and it is stillcarried on in some of the lakes of Cumberland. Indeed, as lately asthe year 1844, a pack of otter-hounds was advertised in the newspapersto be sold by private contract. The alleged cause of the owner'sparting with them was in consequence of their having cleared therivers of three counties (Staffordshire being one) of all the otters, and the number captured and killed in the last few years wasmentioned. "Good otter-hounds, " as an old writer observes, "will comechanting, and trail along by the river-side, and will beat everytree-root, every osier-bed, and tuft of bulrushes; nay, sometimes theywill take the water and beat it like a spaniel, and by these means theotter can hardly escape you. " The otter swims and dives with greatcelerity, and in doing the latter it throws up _sprots_, orair-bubbles, which enable the hunters to ascertain where it is, and tospear it. The best time to find it is early in the morning. It mayfrequently be traced by the dead fish and fish-bones strewed along thebanks of the river. The prints, also, of the animal's feet, calledhis _seal_, are of a peculiar formation, and thus it is readilytraced. The otter preys during the night, and conceals himself in thedaytime under the banks of lakes and rivers, where he generally formsa kind of subterraneous gallery, running for several yards parallel tothe water's edge, so that if he should be assailed from one end, heflies to the other. When he takes to the water, it is necessary thatthose who have otter-spears should watch the bubbles, for he generallyvents near them. When the otter is seized, or upon the point of beingcaught by the hounds, he turns upon his pursuers with the utmostferocity. Instances are recorded of dogs having been drowned byotters, which they had seized under water, for they can sustain thewant of respiration for a much longer time than the dog. 

Mr. Daniell, in his "Rural Sports, " remarks that hunting the otter wasformerly considered as excellent sport, and that hounds were keptsolely for that purpose. The sportsmen went on each side of the river, beating the banks and sedges with the dogs. If an otter was not soonfound, it was supposed that he had gone to _couch_ more inland, andwas sought for accordingly. If one was found, the sportsmen viewed histrack in the mud, to find which way he had taken. 

 "On the soft sand, See there his seal impress'd! And on that bank Behold the glitt'ring spoils, half-eaten fish, Scales, fins, and bones, the leavings of his feast. "

The spears were used in aid of the dogs. When an otter is wounded, hemakes directly to land, where he maintains an obstinate defence:--

 "Lo! to yon sedgy bank He creeps disconsolate; his numerous foes Surround him, hounds and men. Pierc'd through and through, On pointed spears they lift him high in air; Bid the loud horns, in gaily warbling strains, Proclaim the spoiler's fate: he dies, he dies. "

The male otter never makes any complaint when seized by the dogs, oreven when transfixed with a spear, but the females emit a very shrillsqueal. In the year 1796, near Bridgenorth, on the river Wherfe, fourotters were killed. One stood three, another four hours before thedogs, and was scarcely a minute out of sight. In April 1804, theotter-hounds of Mr. Coleman, of Leominster, killed an otter ofextraordinary size. It measured from the nose to the end of the tail, four feet ten inches, and weighed thirty-four and a half pounds. Thisanimal was supposed to be eight years old, and to have destroyed forthe last five years a ton of fish annually. The destruction of fish bythis animal is, indeed, very great, for he will eat none unless it beperfectly fresh, and what he takes himself. By his mode of eating themhe causes a still greater consumption, for so soon as an otter catchesa fish he drags it on shore, devours it to the vent, and, unlesspressed by extreme hunger, always leaves the remainder, and takes tothe water in search of more. In rivers it is always observed to swimagainst the stream, in order to meet its prey. 

Otters bite very severely, and they will seize upon a dog with theutmost ferocity, and will shake it as a terrier does a rat. The jawsof the otter are so constructed, that even when dead it is difficultto separate them, as they adhere with the utmost tenacity. Otters arefrequently found on the banks of the Thames, and a large one wascaught in an eel-basket, near Windsor, but the hunting of them isdiscontinued. 

[Illustration]

[Illustration: GREYHOUNDS. ]

THE GREYHOUND. 

 "Ah! gallant Snowball! what remains, Up Fordon's banks, o'er Flixton's plains, Of all thy strength--thy sinewy force, Which rather flew than ran the course? Ah! what remains? Save that thy breed May to their father's fame succeed; And when the prize appears in view, May prove that they are Snowballs too. "

The perfection to which the greyhound has been brought by perseveringcare and attention to its breed, distinguishes it alike for beauty, shape, and high spirit, while its habits are mild and gentle in theextreme. These dogs were brought to this great perfection by the lateLord Orford, Major Topham, and others. Snowball, --perhaps one of thebest greyhounds that ever ran, --won four cups, couples, and upwardsof thirty matches, at Malton, and upon the wolds of Yorkshire. Infact, no dog had any chance with him except his own blood. In theNovember Malton coursing-meeting in 1799, a Scotch greyhound wasproduced, which had beat every opponent in Scotland. It was thenbrought to England, and challenged any dog in the kingdom. Thechallenge was accepted, and Snowball selected for the trial of speed;after a course of two miles, the match (upon which considerable sumswere depending) was decided in his favour. 

Another dog, which belonged to Sir Henry Bate Dudley, won seventy-foursuccessive matches, without having been once beaten. 

Various have been the opinions upon the difference of speed between awell-bred greyhound and a racehorse, if opposed to each other. Wisheshad been frequently indulged by the sporting world, that somecriterion could be adopted by which the superiority of speed could befairly ascertained, when the following circumstance accidentally tookplace, and afforded some information upon what had been previouslyconsidered a matter of great uncertainty. In the month of December, some years ago, a match was to have been run over Doncasterrace-course for one hundred guineas; but one of the horses having beendrawn, a mare started alone, that by running the ground she mightensure the wager, when having run about one mile in the four, she wasaccompanied by a greyhound bitch, which joined her from the side ofthe course, and emulatively entering into the competition, continuedto race with the mare for the other three miles, keeping nearly headand head, and affording an excellent treat to the field by theenergetic exertions of each. At passing the distance-post, five tofour was betted in favour of the greyhound; when parallel with thestand, it was even betting, and any person might have taken his choicefrom five to ten: the mare, however, had the advantage by a head atthe termination of the course. 

The courage and spirit of these dogs is very great. A greyhound ran ahare single-handed and raced her so hard, that, not having time to runthrough an opening at the bottom of some paling, she and the greyhoundmade a spring at the same moment at the top of the pales. The dogseized her at the instant she reached it, and in the momentarystruggle he slipt between two broken pales, each of which ran into thetop of his thighs. In this situation he hung till the horsemen cameup, when, to their great surprise, he had the hare fast in his mouth, which was taken from him before he could be released. 

I saw a hare coursed on the Brighton Downs some years ago by twocelebrated greyhounds. Such was the length of the course, some of itup very steep hills, that the hare fell dead before the dogs, who wereso exhausted that they only reached to within six feet of her. Thiswas one of the severest courses ever witnessed. 

On another occasion, two dogs ran a hare for several miles, and withsuch speed as to be very soon out of sight of the coursing party. After a considerable search, both the dogs and the hare were founddead within a few yards of each other; nor did it appear that theformer had touched the hare. Mr. Daniel, in his "Rural Sports, " statesthat a brace of greyhounds, in Lincolnshire, ran a hare from her seatto where she was killed, a distance, measuring straight, of upwards offour miles, in twelve minutes. During the course there was a goodnumber of turns, which must have very considerably increased the spacegone over. The hare ran till she died before the greyhounds touchedher. 

In the year 1798, a brace of greyhounds, the property of Mr. Courtallof Carlisle, coursed a hare from the Swift, near that city, and killedher at Clemmell, seven miles distant. Both greyhounds were soexhausted, that unless the aid of medical men, who happened to be onthe spot, had been immediately given, they would have died, and it waswith difficulty they were recovered. 

In the year 1818, a black greyhound bitch, the property of Mr. JohnHeaton, of Scarisbrick, in Lancashire, left her master, forsook thehabitation where she had been reared, betook herself to the fields andthickets, and adopted a life of unlimited freedom, defying all therestraints of man. In this state she killed a great number of haresfor food, and occasionally made free with the sheep; she, therefore, very soon became a nuisance in the neighbourhood. She had taken herstation at the distance of two miles from her master's house, and wasgenerally found near this spot. In consequence of her depredations, many attempts were made to shoot her, but in vain. She eluded, formore than six months, the vigilance of her pursuers. At length she wasobserved to go into a barn that stood in a field which she frequented. She entered the building through a hole in the wall, and, by means ofa rope-snare, was caught as she came out. On entering the barn, threewhelps were found about a week old; so that in her savage state shehad evidently been visited by a male of her own species. The whelpswere (foolishly enough) immediately destroyed. As the bitch herselfevinced the utmost ferocity, and, though well secured, vainlyattempted to seize every person that approached, she was taken home, and treated with the greatest kindness. By degrees her ferocityabated, and in the course of two months she became perfectlyreconciled to her original abode. The following season she ran severalcourses. There continued a wildness in her look; yet, although atperfect liberty, she did not attempt again to stray away, but seemedquite reconciled to her domestic life. 

Few facts can show the high courage of the greyhound more than thefollowing:--

As a gamekeeper of Lord Egremont's was leading a brace of greyhoundsin couples, a hare accidentally crossed the road in view. Thistemptation proved so irresistible, that the dogs, by a joint effort, broke suddenly from their conductor, and gave chase, shackled as theywere together. When they got up and gave the hare the first turn, itwas evidently much to her advantage, as the greyhounds were soembarrassed that it was with great difficulty they could change thedirection. Notwithstanding this temporary delay, they sustained nodiminution of natural energy, but continued the course through andover various obstructions, till the object of their pursuit fell avictim to their invincible perseverance, after a run of between threeand four miles. 

In addition to the beauty, elegance, high spirit, and speed of thegreyhound, may be mentioned his mild and affectionate disposition, aswell as his fidelity and attachment to those who treat him withkindness. They will also show sometimes considerable sagacity, ofwhich the following is an instance:--

Two young gentlemen went to skate, attended only by a greyhound. Aboutthe time they were expected home, the dog arrived at the house fullspeed, and by his great anxiety, by laying hold of the clothes of someof the inmates, and by his significant gestures, he convinced themthat something was wrong. They followed the greyhound, and came to thepond. A hat was seen on the ice, near which was a fresh aperture. Thebodies of the young gentlemen were soon found, but life was extinct. In this instance the sagacity of the dog was extraordinary. Had hepossessed the power of speech, he could scarcely have communicatedwhat had taken place more significantly than he did. 

I have received the following anecdote from a friend, on whoseveracity I can depend:--In the year 1816, a greyhound bitch in pup wassent from the neighbourhood of Edinburgh by a carrier, _viâ_ Dumfries, to the neighbourhood of Castle Douglas, in the stewartry ofKirkeudbright. She brought up her litter of pups there, and in thefollowing year was returned by the same route to Edinburgh, fromwhence she was sent by way of Douglas and Muirkirk to theneighbourhood of Cumnock, in Ayrshire. After remaining there five orsix months, she found her way across the country to the house nearCastle Douglas where she had brought up her pups. The fact of hercrossing the country was ascertained by shepherds, who saw her, accompanied by a pointer-dog. She arrived, accompanied by this dog, who left her almost immediately, and found his way home again. Thebitch was bred in East Lothian, and had never been previously eitherin Ayrshire or Dumfriesshire. 

A small Italian greyhound in Bologna, which used at nights to have akind of jacket put on, to guard him from the cold, went out generallyvery early in the morning to a neighbouring house, to visit anotherdog of the same breed which lived there. He always endeavoured, byvarious coaxing gestures, to prevail upon the people of the house totake off his night-jacket, in order that he might play more at easewith his companion. It once happened, when he could not get any one todo him this service, that he found means, by various contortions ofhis body, rubbing himself against tables and chairs, and working withhis limbs, to undress himself without any other assistance. After thistrial had succeeded, he continued to practise it for some time, untilhis master discovered it, who after that undressed him every morning, and let him out of the house. At noon, and in the evening, he alwaysreturned home. Sometimes, when he made his morning call, he found thedoor of the house in which his friend dwelt not yet open. In thesecases he placed himself opposite to the house, and by loud barkingsolicited admittance. But as the noise which he made becametroublesome both to the inhabitants of the house and to theneighbours, they not only kept the door shut against him, butendeavoured also to drive him away from the house by throwing stonesat him from the windows. He crept, however, so close to the door, thathe was perfectly secure against the stones, and now they had to drivehim away with a whip. After some time the dog went again to the house, and waited without barking till the door was opened. He was againdriven away, upon which he discontinued his visits for a long time. Atlength, however, he ventured to go once more to the house, and set upa loud barking; placing himself in a situation where he was bothsecure against the stones, and could not be seized by the people ofthe house when they opened the door. 

After a considerable time, he one morning saw a boy come to the house, lay hold of the knocker, and strike it against the door, and heobserved that upon this process the door was opened. After the boy hadbeen let in, the dog crept along the side of the house to the door, and took his station upon the spot where the boy had stood when heknocked, and where no one who stood close to the door could be seenfrom within. Here he leaped several times at the knocker, till heraised it and made it strike the door. A person from withinimmediately called, "Who is there?" but receiving no answer, openedthe door, upon which the dog ran in with tokens of great delight, andsoon found his way to his friend. Often after this he availed himselfof the fortunate discovery which he had made, and his ingenuity was somuch admired that it procured him thenceforward free access to hiscompanion's habitation. 

While on the subject of greyhounds, I cannot resist the insertion ofthe following account of one extracted from Froissart:--

When Richard II. Was confined in the Castle of Flint, he possessed agreyhound, which was so remarkably attached to him, as not to noticeor fawn upon any one else. Froissart says, --"It was informed me KyngeRichard had a grayhounde, called Mathe, who always waited upon thekynge, and would know no one else. For whenever the kynge did ryde, hethat kept the grayhounde did let him lose, and he wolde streyght runneto the kynge and fawne upon him, and leape with his fore-fete upon thekynge's shoulders. And as the kynge and the Erle of Derby talkedtogyder in the courte, the grayhounde, who was wont to leape upon thekynge, left the kynge and came to the Erle of Derby, duke ofLancaster, and made to hym the same friendly countenance and chere hewas wont to do the kynge. The Duke, who knew not the grayhounde, demanded of the kynge what the grayhounde would do. 'Cosin, ' quod thekynge, 'it is a great good token to you, and an evil sygne to me. ''Sir, how know ye that?' quod the duke. 'I know it well, ' quod thekynge: 'the grayhounde maketh you chere this daye as kynge ofEnglande, as ye shall be, and I shall be deposed; the grayhounde haththis knowledge naturally, therefore take hym to you: he will followyou and forsake me. ' The duke understoode well those words, andcheryshed the grayhounde, who would never after followe KyngeRicharde, but followed the Duke of Lancaster. " It is not, however, improbable, that the dog thus mentioned was the Irish wolf-dog, as thefact related is more characteristic of that noble animal. 

The mild, affable, and serene aspect of the greyhound, constitutes nodrawback to its innate sagacity, or grateful attention to itsprotector, of which the unfortunate king Charles I. Was so observant, that the remark he made during his troubles is on record, and strictlyjust as applicable to the instinctive fidelity of the animal. He saidthe greyhound possessed all the good nature of the spaniel without thefawning. 

Washington Irving mentions, that in the course of his reading he hadfallen in with the following anecdote, which illustrates in aremarkable manner the devoted attachment of these dogs to theirmasters:--

"An officer named St. Leger, who was imprisoned in Vincennes (nearParis) during the wars of St. Bartholomew, wished to keep with him agreyhound that he had brought up, and which was much attached to him;but they harshly refused him this innocent pleasure, and sent away thegreyhound to his house in the Rue des Lions Saint Paul. The next daythe greyhound returned alone to Vincennes, and began to bark under thewindows of the tower, where the officer was confined. St. Legerapproached, looked through the bars, and was delighted again to seehis faithful hound, who began to jump and play a thousand gambols toshow her joy. He threw a piece of bread to the animal, who ate it withgreat good will; and, in spite of the immense wall which separatedthem, they breakfasted together like two friends. This friendly visitwas not the last. Abandoned by his relations, who believed him dead, the unfortunate prisoner received the visits of his greyhound only, during four years' confinement. Whatever weather it might be, inspite of rain or snow, the faithful animal did not fail a single dayto pay her accustomed visit. Six months after his release from prisonSt. Leger died. The faithful greyhound would no longer remain in thehouse; but on the day after the funeral returned to the castle ofVincennes, and it is supposed she was actuated by a motive ofgratitude. A jailor of the outer court had always shown great kindnessto this dog, which was as handsome as affectionate. Contrary to thecustom of people of that class, this man had been touched by herattachment and beauty, so that he facilitated her approach to see hermaster, and also insured her a safe retreat. Penetrated with gratitudefor this service, the greyhound remained the rest of her life near thebenevolent jailor. It was remarked, that even while testifying herzeal and gratitude for her second master, one could easily see thather heart was with the first. Like those who, having lost a parent, abrother, or a friend, come from afar to seek consolation by viewingthe place which they inhabited, this affectionate animal repairedfrequently to the tower where St. Leger had been imprisoned, and wouldcontemplate for hours together the gloomy window from which her dearmaster had so often smiled to her, and where they had so frequentlybreakfasted together. "

The natural simplicity and peaceable demeanour of the greyhound mayhave sometimes induced a doubt of its possessing the sagacity, fidelity, and attachment of other dogs; but when he is kindly treatedand domesticated, he is capable of showing them to an equal degreewith any of the canine race. 

Some of the best coursing in England takes place on the WiltshireDowns, where it is no uncommon sight to see a hare run away from twogood dogs without a single turn. Nearly three hundred years ago, SirPhilip Sidney referred to this sport on the Wiltshire Downs in one ofhis poems, in which he remarks:--

 "So, on the downs we see, near Wilton fair, A hasten'd hare from greedy greyhounds go. "

The following account of the Persian greyhound appeared in the "Bookof Sports:"--

"The Persian greyhound is much esteemed in its native country, wherethe nobles, who are excessively fond of the chase, keep a great numberof them at a considerable expense, the best and most favoured dogsfrequently having their collars and housings covered with preciousstones and embroidery. 

"These greyhounds are employed in coursing hares in the plains, and inchasing the antelope. As the speed of the antelope is greater thanthat of the greyhound, the Persians train hawks for the purpose ofassisting the dog in this kind of chase. The hawks when young are fedupon the head of a stuffed antelope, and thus taught to fly at thatpart of the animal. When the antelope is discovered, the hawk is castoff, which, fastening its talons in the animal's head, impedes itsprogress, and thus enables the greyhounds to overtake it. The chase, however, in which the Persians chiefly delight, and for which thosegreyhounds are most highly valued, is that of the ghoo-khur, or wildass. This animal, which generally inhabits the mountainous districts, is extremely shy, and of great endurance, and is considered by thePersians as one of the swiftest of all quadrupeds. These qualities, and the nature of the ground over which it is usually chased, renderthe capture of the wild ass very uncertain, and its pursuit extremelyhazardous to the sportsman. 

"When the Persians go out to hunt the wild ass, relays of greyhoundsare placed at various distances in the surrounding country, in suchdirections as are most likely to be traversed by the object ofpursuit; so that when one relay is tired, there is another fresh tocontinue the chase. Such, however, is the speed and endurance of theghoo-khur, that it is seldom fairly run down by the greyhounds; itsdeath generally being achieved by the rifle of some lucky horseman. The Persians evince great skill and courage in this arduous sport;riding, rifle in hand, up and down precipitous hills, over stonypaths, and across ravines and mountain streams, which might well dauntour boldest turf-skimming Meltonians. 

"Though several Persian greyhounds have at different times beenbrought to this country, the breed can scarcely be considered asestablished here. The specimen, however, (a female), from which Mr. Hamilton painted the picture from which our engraving is taken, wasbred in this country. She was then supposed to be the only Persiangreyhound bitch in England. "

The Persian greyhound is very handsome. "One of the finest species ofdog I have ever seen, " says an interesting writer, "is a sort ofgreyhound which the Persians rear to assist them in the chase. Theyhave generally long silken hair upon their quarters, shoulders, ears, and tail; and I think them as handsome, and considerably more powerfuland sagacious, than our own greyhounds. I have sometimes seen aspirited horse break loose, and run away at full speed, when one ofthese dogs has set after him like an arrow, and soon getting ahead ofhim, taken an opportunity of seizing the bridle in his teeth, which heheld so firmly, that though he was not strong enough to stop thehorse, yet, as he was dragged along, he continued to pull and confinethe horse, so as to impede him very much, till some person was able toovertake and secure him. "

Col. Hutchinson says, that "In Persia and many parts of the Eastgreyhounds are taught to assist the falcon in the capture of deer. When brought within good view of a herd the bird is flown, and at thesame moment the dog is slipped. The rapid sweep of the falcon sooncarries him far in advance. It is the falcon who makes the selectionof the intended victim--which appears to be a matter of chance--and aproperly-trained greyhound will give chase to none other, howevertemptingly close the alarmed animals may pass him. The falcon isinstructed to aim at the head only of the gazelle, who soon becomesbewildered; sometimes receiving considerable injury from the quickstroke of its daring adversary. Before long the gazelle is overtakenby the greyhound. It is not always easy to teach a dog to avoidinjuring the bird, which is so intent upon its prey as utterly todisregard the approach of the hound. Death would probably be thepenalty adjudged to him for so heinous an offence; for a well-trainedfalcon is of great value. You can readily imagine that neither it northe greyhound could be properly broken unless the instructor possessedmuch judgment and perseverance. The sport is very exciting; but thespectator must be well-mounted, and ride boldly, who would closelywatch the swift, varying evolutions of the assailing party, and thesudden evasions of the helpless defendant. "

[Illustration]

[Illustration: THE POINTER. ]

THE POINTER. 

 "The subtle dog scours with sagacious nose Along the field, and snuffs each breeze that blows; Against the wind he takes his prudent way, While the strong gale directs him to the prey. Now the warm scent assures the covey near; He treads with caution, and he points with fear. The fluttering coveys from the stubble rise, And on swift wing divide the sounding skies; The scatt'ring lead pursues the certain sight, And death in thunder overtakes their flight. "--GAY. 

This dog has been crossed and re-crossed so often with the fox-hound, the setter, and the old Spanish pointer, that the originality of thepresent breed may be questioned, especially as the pointer has beenless noticed by writers on dogs than any other of the species. Howwell do I recollect in my early youth seeing the slow, heavy, solemn-looking, and thick-shouldered Spanish pointer, tired with twoor three hours' work in turnips, and so stiff after it the next day, as to be little capable of resuming his labours. And yet this dog, fifty years ago, was to be met with all through England. How differentis the breed at the present time! By crossing with the fox-hound, theyhave acquired wonderful speed, and a power of endurance equallysurprising, while their shape is beautiful and their sense andanimation strongly marked in their intelligent countenances. 

The old pointers were either nearly white or variegated with largeliver-coloured patches. We now see them either completelyliver-coloured, or of a flea-bitten blue or grey, or else black, withfine sterns showing much blood, and extremely thin ears. There can beno doubt but that the crosses by which they have obtained thequalities and appearance I have mentioned, render the task of breakingthem in to point, back, and drop to charge, one of no smalldifficulty. These habits, having been acquired in the original breed, had probably become hereditary; but the mixture with dogs which hadnot these inherent qualities, has introduced volatility and impatiencenot easily to be overcome. It is also a fact, that if a pointer, notwithstanding this disposition, should at last become perfectly wellbroke in, or, as it is called, highly broke, he loses much of hisnatural sagacity. His powers of endurance are, however, very great. Afriend of mine, an ardent sportsman, had a pointer crossed with afoxhound, and it was the only one he had. Day after day he took thisdog out with him, from day-break till late in the evening, and henever flagged or showed fatigue. It was calculated that he could nottraverse less than one hundred and twenty miles each day. This dogshowed extraordinary sagacity. While hunting in a large fallow fieldhe made a point, and then slowly and cautiously proceeded, closelyfollowed by his master. In this way he led him over a good part of thefield, till it was supposed the dog was drawing on the scent of ahare, which had stolen away. At last he set off running as hard as hecould, made a large circuit to the left, and then came to a pointimmediately opposite to his master, who then advanced and put up acovey of birds between him and the dog. 

The following is a proof of the perfection to which pointers may bebrought. The friend above referred to went out shooting with agentleman celebrated for the goodness of his breed. They took thefield with eight of these dogs. If one pointed, all the restimmediately backed steadily. If a partridge was shot, they all droppedto charge, and whichsoever dog was called to bring the bird, the restnever stirred till they were told to do so. Dogs thus broke in are ofgreat value, and bring large prices; from fifty to a hundred guineashave been given for a good dog. 

Pointers frequently show extraordinary sense, especially in their ownpeculiar vocation. Thus a pointer has been known to refuse to hunt fora person who had previously missed every bird the dog had found. Heleft him with every mark of disgust, nor could any coaxing induce himto continue with his unsportsman-like companion. 

Three pointers were taken out grouse-shooting in Ireland. They wereall of the same breed, or rather nearly related to each other, onebeing the grandmother, the other her daughter, and the third hergranddaughter. The latter, who could get over the ground quicker thanthe others, put up first one pack of grouse, and then another, forwhich faults she was flogged again and again. Having done the samething the third time, the steady old grandmother was so provoked, thatshe ran at the culprit, knocked her over and over, and did not ceaseto attack her till she had driven her home. The authenticity of thisanecdote need not be doubted. It is a proof of the extraordinary senseof a dog, and is corroborated by a fact already mentioned in theintroductory remarks (p. 33), of one dog attacking another for havingmisconducted himself. 

Some very bad shots went out partridge-shooting, attended by a verygood, old, steady pointer. After shooting for some hours with verylittle success, they began to amuse themselves by firing at a piece ofpaper stuck on a post. The disgust of the old dog at this proceedingmay be imagined--he ran home. 

In further proof of the dislike a pointer will show to a bad shot, Iwill adduce the following anecdote mentioned by Captain Brown. Agentleman, on his requesting the loan of a pointer-dog from a friend, was informed by him that the dog would behave very well so long as hecould kill his birds; but if he frequently missed them, it would runhome and leave him. The dog was sent, and the following day was fixedfor trial; but, unfortunately, his new master was a remarkably badshot. Bird after bird rose and was fired at, but still pursued itsflight untouched, till, at last, the pointer became careless, andoften missed his game. As if seemingly willing, however, to give onechance more, he made a dead stop at a fern-bush, with his nose pointeddownward, the fore-foot bent, and his tail straight and steady. Inthis position he remained firm till the sportsman was close to him, with both barrels cocked, then moving steadily forward for a fewpaces, he at last stood still near a bunch of heather, the tailexpressing the anxiety of the mind by moving regularly backwards andforwards. At last out sprung a fine old blackcock. Bang, bang, wentboth barrels, but the bird escaped unhurt. The patience of the dog wasnow quite exhausted; and, instead of dropping to charge, he turnedboldly round, placed his tail between his legs, gave one howl, longand loud, and set off as fast as he could to his own home. 

I have seen a pointer leap on the top of a high gate, in going fromone field to another, and remain steadily there till I came up to him. He had suddenly come on the scent of birds, and made his point fromhis uncomfortable situation on the gate. Captain Brown also relates anearly similar instance of the stanchness of a pointer, which hereceived from a friend of his. This gentleman was shooting inScotland, when one of his dogs, in going over a stone wall, about fourfeet high, got the scent of some birds on the other side of the wall, just as she made the leap. She hung by her fore-legs, appearing at adistance as if they had got fastened among the stones, and that shecould not extricate herself. In this position she remained until hermaster came up. It was then evident that it was her caution for fearof flushing some birds on the other side of the wall, which preventedher from taking the leap, or rather, which was the cause of her makingthis extraordinary point. 

Mr. Daniel, in his "Rural Sports, " mentions the circumstance of twopointers having stood at one point an hour and a quarter, while anartist took a sketch of them. 

A dog of the pointer kind, brought from South Carolina in an Englishmerchant vessel, was a remarkable prognosticator of bad weather. Whenever he was observed to prick up his ears, scratch the deck, andrear himself to look to the windward, whence he would eagerly snuff upthe wind, if it was then the finest weather imaginable, the crew weresure of a tempest succeeding; and the dog became so useful, thatwhenever they perceived the fit upon him, they immediately reefed thesails, and took in their spare canvas, to prepare for the worst. Otheranimals are prognosticators of weather also; and there is seldom astorm at sea, but it is foretold by some of the natural marinebarometers on board, many hours before the gale. 

The following circumstance serves also to prove the extreme stanchnessof a pointer. It is related by Captain Brown:--

"A servant who used to shoot for Mr. Clutterbuck of Bradford, had, onone occasion, a pointer of this gentleman's, which afforded him anexcellent day's sport. On returning, the night being dark, he dropped, by some chance, two or three birds out of his bag, and on coming homehe missed them. Having informed a fellow-servant of his loss, herequested him to get up early the next morning, and seek for them nearthe turnpike, being certain that he had brought them as far as thatplace. The man accordingly went there, and not a hundred yards fromthe spot mentioned by his companion, he, to his surprise, found thepointer lying near the birds, and where he probably had remained allnight, although the poor animal had been severely hunted the daybefore. "

For the following instance of the sagacity of a pointer, I am indebtedto Lord Stowell. Mr. Edward Cook, after having lived some time withhis brother at Tugsten, in Northumberland, went to America, and tookwith him a pointer-dog, which he lost soon afterwards, while shootingin the woods near Baltimore. Some time after, Mr. And Mrs. Cook, whocontinued to reside at Tugsten, were alarmed at hearing a dog in thenight. They admitted it into the house, and found that it was the sametheir brother had taken with him to America. The dog lived with themuntil his master returned home, when they mutually recognised eachother. Mr. Cook was never able to trace by what vessel the dog hadleft America, or in what part of England it had been landed. Thisanecdote confirms others which I have already mentioned relative todogs finding their way back to this country from considerabledistances. 

Lieutenant Shipp, in his Memoirs, mentions the case of a soldier inIndia, who, having presented his dog to an acquaintance, by whom hewas taken a distance of four hundred miles, was surprised to see himback in a few days afterwards. When the faithful animal returned, hesearched through the whole barracks for his master, and at lengthfinding him asleep, he awoke him by licking his face. 

Pointers have been known to go out by themselves for the purpose offinding game, and when they have succeeded, have returned to theirmaster, and by significant signs and gestures have led them directlyto the spot. 

The mental faculties of pointers are extremely acute. When once theybecome conscious of their own powers, and of what is required of them, they seldom commit a fault, and do their duty with alacrity anddevotion. Old pointers are apt to hunt the hedgerows of a field beforethey begin to quarter the ground. I have seen dogs severely rated andpunished for doing this, but the cause is obvious. They are aware thatgame is more frequently to be found in hedgerows than in the openground, and therefore very naturally take the readiest way of findingit. 

An interesting exhibition of clever dogs took place in London in thesummer of 1843, under the auspices of M. Léonard, a French gentlemanof scientific attainments and enlightened character, who had for someyears directed his attention to the reasoning powers of animals, andtheir cultivation. Two pointers, Braque and Philax, had been theespecial objects of his instruction, and their intellectual capacitieshad been excited in an extraordinary degree. A writer in the "Atlas"newspaper thus speaks of the exhibition of these animals:--M. Léonard's dogs are not merely clever, well-taught animals, which, bydint of practice, can pick up a particular letter, or can, by a sortof instinct, indicate a number which may be asked for; they call intoaction powers which, if not strictly intellectual, approximate veryclosely to reason. For instance, they exert memory. Four pieces ofpaper were placed upon the floor, which the company numberedindiscriminately, 2, 4, 6, 8. The numbers were named but once, and yetthe dogs were able to pick up any one of them at command, althoughthey were not placed in regular order. The numbers were then changed, with a similar result. Again, different objects were placed upon thefloor, and when a similar thing--say a glove--was exhibited, one orother of the animals picked it up immediately. The dogs distinguishcolours, and, in short, appear to understand everything that is saidto them. 

The dog Braque plays a game of dominoes with any one who likes. We areaware that this has been done before; but when it is considered thatit is necessary to distinguish the number of spots, it must beadmitted that this requires the exercise of a power little inferior toreason. The dog sits on the chair with the dominoes before him, andwhen his adversary plays, he scans each of his dominoes with an air ofattention and gravity which is perfectly marvellous. When he could notmatch the domino played, he became restless and shook his head, andgave other indications of his inability to do so. No human beingcould have paid more attention. The dog seemed to watch the game withdeep interest, and what is more, he won. 

Another point strongly indicative of the close approach to thereasoning powers, was the exactness with which the dogs obeyed anunderstood signal. It was agreed that when three blows were struckupon a chair, Philax should do what was requested; and when five weregiven, that the task should devolve on Braque. This arrangement wasstrictly adhered to. We do not intend to follow the various proofswhich were afforded of the intelligence of the dogs; it is sufficientto say that a multiplicity of directions given to them were obeyedimplicitly, and that they appeared to understand what their mastersaid as well as any individual in the room. 

M. Léonard entered into a highly-interesting explanation of his theoryregarding the intellectual powers of animals, and the mode he adoptsto train and subdue horses, exhibiting the defects of the systemgenerally pursued. His principle is, that horses are not vicious bynature, but because they have been badly taught, and that, as withchildren, these defects may be corrected by proper teaching. M. Léonard does not enter into these inquiries for profit, but solelywith a scientific and humane view, being desirous of investigating theextent of the reasoning powers of animals. 

It does not appear possible that dogs should be educated to theextent of those of M. Léonard, unless we can suppose that they acquirea tolerably exact knowledge of language. That they in reality learn toknow the meaning of certain words, not merely when addressed to them, but when spoken in ordinary conversation, is beyond a doubt; althoughthe accompanying looks and movements in all likelihood help them intheir interpretation. We have known a small spaniel, for instance, which thoroughly understood the meaning of "out, " or "going out, " whenspoken in the most casual way in conversation. A lady of ouracquaintance has a dog which lives at enmity with another dog in theneighbourhood, called York, and angrily barks when the word York ispronounced in his hearing. 

A well-known angler was in the habit of being attended by apointer-dog, who saved him the trouble of a landing-net in histrout-fishing excursions. When he had hooked a fish and brought itnear the bank, the dog would be in readiness, and taking the fishbehind the head, would bring it out to his master. 

A writer, who endeavours to prove the existence of souls analogous tothe human in animals, relates the following remarkable fact, of whichhe was himself an eye-witness. He says:--

"I was with a gentleman who resides in the country, in his study, whena pointer-dog belonging to him came running to the door of the room, which was shut, scratching and barking till he was admitted. He thenused supplicating gestures of every kind, running from his master tothe stair behind which his gun stood, then again to his master, andback to the gun. The gentleman now comprehended something of his dog'smeaning, and took up his gun. The dog immediately gave a bark of joy, ran out at the door, returned, and then ran to the back-door of thehouse, from whence he took the road to a neighbouring hill. 

"His master and I followed him. The dog ran, highly pleased, a littledistance before us, showing us the way we should take. After we hadproceeded about forty paces, he gave us to understand that we shouldturn to the left, by pressing repeatedly against his master, andpushing him towards the road that turned to the left. We followed hisdirection, and he accompanied us a few paces, but suddenly he turnedto the right, running round the whole of the hill. We still proceededto the left, slowly up the ascent, till we were nearly arrived at itssummit, the dog in the meantime making the circuit of the hill to theright. He was now already higher than we were, when he gave a suddenbark, and that moment a hare ran before the muzzle of his master'sgun, and, of course, met her fate. "

A gentleman had a pointer so fleet that he often backed him to findbirds in a ten-acre field within two minutes, if there were birds init. On entering the field, he seemed to know by instinct where thebirds would lie, generally going up to them at once. His nose was sogood, that with a brisk wind, he would find his game a hundred andfifty yards off across the furrows. He could tell whether a bird washit, and if so would retrieve it some fields off from where it wasshot. He would never follow a hare unless it was wounded. He wouldpoint water-fowl as well as all birds of game, and has been seenpointing a duck or a moor-hen with the water running over his back atthe time. Nothing seemed to spoil this dog, not even rat and otterhunting, in both of which he was an adept, as he knew his business;and although he would rattle through a wood, he was perfectly steadythe next minute out of cover. He has been known to continue at a pointtwo hours. In high turnips he would contrive to show his master wherehe was, standing sometimes on his hind legs only, so that his head andfore-quarters might be seen. On one occasion he came at full speed sosuddenly on a hare, that he slipped up, and fell nearly on his back. In this position he did not move, and it was thought he was in a fit, till the hare jumped up and was killed, when the dog righted himself. So steady was he in backing another dog when game was found, that heonce caught sight of a point at the moment of jumping a stile, andbalanced himself on it for several seconds till he fell. Once whenhunting with a young pointer, who had only been taken into the fieldtwo or three times, in order to show him some birds before theshooting season, the following occurrence took place. The old dogfound some birds in the middle of the field, and pointed themsteadily. The puppy had been jumping and gambolling about, with nogreat hunt in him, and upon seeing the old dog stand, ran playfully upto him. He was, however, seized by the neck, and received a goodshaking, which sent him away howling, and his companion then turnedround and steadied himself on his point, without moving scarcely ayard. This anecdote is extracted from Hone's "Year Book, " and thewriter of it goes on to say, --"What dog is there possessing thesingular self-denial of the pointer or setter? The hound gives fullplay to his feelings; chases, and babbles, and kicks up as much riotas he likes, provided he is true to his game; the spaniel has norestraint, except being kept within gun-shot; the greyhound has it allhis own way as soon as he is loosed; and the terrier watches at arat's hole, because he cannot get into it: but the pointer, at themoment that other dogs satisfy themselves, and rush upon their game, suddenly stops, and points with almost breathless anxiety to thatwhich we might naturally suppose he would eagerly seize. The birdsseen, the dog creeps after them cautiously, stopping at intervals, lest by a sudden movement he should spring them too soon. And then letus observe and admire his delight when his anxiety--for it isanxiety--is crowned with success--when the bird falls, and he lays itjoyfully at his master's feet. A pointer should never be ill-used. Heis too much like one of us. He has more headpiece than all the rest ofthe dogs put together. Narrowly watch a steady pointer on his game, and see how he holds his breath. It is evident he must stand in acertain degree of pain, for we all know how quickly a dog respires. And when he comes up to you in the field he puffs and blows, and histongue is invariably hanging out of his mouth. We never see this on apoint, and to check it suddenly must give the dog pain. And yet, howsilent he is! how eager he looks! and if a sudden hysteric gasp isheard, it ceases in a moment. Surely he is the most perfect artist ofthe canine race. "

Some of my readers may like to know that the best breaker of pointersI have yet met with is Mr. Lucas, one of the keepers of Richmond Park. He perfectly understands his business, and turns out his pointers in away which few can equal. 

In August 1857, a gentleman residing at Ludlow, in Shropshire, had apointer bitch, which produced seven puppies. Six of them were drowned, and one left. On the servant going the next morning to give her somemilk, she found, besides the puppy, a hedgehog, which had been in thegarden some years, most comfortably curled up with them. She took itaway, but my informant being told that it had got back again, he wentto see it. The pointer was licking it, and appeared quite as fond ofit as of her own puppy. He again had it removed, the bitch following, and whining with evident anxiety to have it restored to her. This wasthe more remarkable, as on previous occasions she had tried to killthe hedgehog. This strange affection can only be accounted for by anabundant flow of milk, which distended and hurt her, occasioned by herother puppies having been destroyed, and she, therefore, seized on thehedgehog to relieve her, however incongruous it might be to her formerfeelings towards it. 

[Illustration]

[Illustration: THE SETTER. ]

THE SETTER. 

The old English setter (says Capt. Brown), was originally derived froma cross between the Spanish pointer and the large water-spaniel, andwas justly celebrated for his fine scent. It is difficult now to saywhat a setter really is, as the original breed has been crossed withspringers, stag and blood-hounds. The Irish breed of setters isconsidered better than either the English or Scotch, and a fine bracehas been frequently known to fetch fifty guineas. Youatt says that thesetter is evidently the large spaniel improved in size and beauty, andtaught to mark his game by setting or crouching. He is more activethan the pointer, but has not so much patient steadiness. It isextremely difficult to decide between the merits of the setter andpointer as dogs for shooting over. Some authors prefer one, some theother. "Craven" says, that in his opinion Russian setters are betterthan English, in nose, sagacity, and every other qualification that adog ought to possess. 

Col. Hutchinson relates that he was "partridge-shooting the seasonbefore last with an intimate friend. The air was soft, and there was agood breeze. We came upon a large turnip-field, deeply trenched onaccount of its damp situation. A white setter, that habitually carrieda lofty head, drew for awhile, and then came to a point. We got up toher. She led us across some ridges, when her companion, a jealous dog(a pointer), which had at first backed correctly, most improperlypushed on in front, but, not being able to acknowledge the scent, wentoff, clearly imagining the bitch was in error. She, however, held on, and in beautiful style brought us up direct to a covey. My friend andI agreed that she must have been but little, if at all, less than onehundred yards off when she first winded the birds; and it was clear tous that they could not have been running, for the breeze came directlyacross the furrows, and she had led us in the wind's eye. We thoughtthe point the more remarkable, as it is generally supposed that thestrong smell of turnips diminishes a dog's power of scenting birds. "

The same able author says, that on one occasion when a near relationof his was shooting on the banks of the Forth, he killed a partridgethat was flying across the river. As he had no retriever with him, healmost regretted having fired; but, to his surprise, his setter, Dove, jumped into the river, although she had never previously (to thewriter's knowledge), attempted to swim, seized it, and deposited itsafely on the bank. She never had retrieved before, and was notparticularly good at "seeking dead. "

"During my residence in the country, " says M. Huet, "I had agamekeeper who was very skilful in the art of training dogs. Amongothers of various kinds which he trained was a large old Englishsetter, with which he had succeeded so well that he could use him bothfor hunting and shooting. 

"This dog did always as much as could be done by any of his race, inwhatever kind of sport he was employed; he even invented advantageousmanoeuvres himself, which the gamekeeper affirmed he had never taughthim. 

"Once, after I had been already several hours returned from huntingwith my people, the dog came running across the yard with a hare uponhis back, which he held by the ear, so as to carry her in the mostconvenient manner to the kitchen from the considerable distance wherehe must have killed her. 

"Upon another occasion he showed an extraordinary degree of judgmentand fidelity. The gamekeeper had, on one of the short days ofDecember, shot at and wounded a deer. Hoping to run him down beforenight, he instantly put the dog upon the track, which followed it atfull speed, and soon was out of sight. At length it grew dark, and thegamekeeper returned home, thinking he should find the setter arrivedthere before him; but he was disappointed, and became apprehensivethat his dog might have lost himself, or fallen a prey to someravenous animal. The next morning, however, we were all greatlyrejoiced to see him come running into the yard, whence he directlyhastened to the door of my apartment, and, on being admitted, ran, with gestures expressive of solicitude and eagerness, to a corner ofthe room where guns were placed. We understood the hint, and, takingthe guns, followed him. He led us not by the road which he himself hadtaken out of the wood, but by beaten paths half round it, and then byseveral wood-cutters' tracks in different directions, to a thicket, where, following him a few paces, we found the deer which he hadkilled. The dog seems to have rightly judged that we should have beenobliged to make our way with much difficulty through almost the wholelength of the wood, in order to come to the deer in a straightdirection, and he therefore led us a circuitous but open andconvenient road. Between the legs of the deer, which he had guardedduring the night against the beasts of prey that might otherwise haveseized upon it, he had scratched a hole in the snow, and filled itwith dry leaves for his bed. The extraordinary sagacity which he haddisplayed upon this occasion rendered him doubly valuable to us, andit therefore caused us very serious regret when, in the ensuingsummer, the poor animal went mad, possibly in consequence of hisexposure to the severe frost of that night, and it became necessaryfor the gamekeeper to shoot him, which he could not do withoutshedding tears. He said he would willingly have given his best cow tosave him; and I confess myself that I would not have hesitated to partwith my best horse upon the same terms. "

Mr. Torry, of Edinburgh, had a setter bitch which possessed greatpowers, and especially in finding lost articles, as she would, whenever she was desired, go in search of anything. On one occasionhis servant lost a favourite whip in the middle of a moor, and he didnot discover or make known this loss till they were about a miledistant from the spot where it was dropped. Mr. Torry ordered theservant to go back and bring it, as he stated he was quite certain ofthe spot where he had dropped it; but after searching for nearly anhour, the servant returned and said he could not recover it, uponwhich Mr. Torry told his setter to go back for the whip. She startedoff instantly, and in less than five minutes the lost article was athis feet. 

The same dog did a great many other curious things: she would ring thebell, fetch her master's slippers, or bring his youngest son, whenrequired to do so, from another room; which last she effected bytaking hold of his pinafore with her mouth, and running before himsideways to his master's chair. 

A large setter, ill with the distemper, had been most tenderly nursedby a lady for three weeks. At length he became so weak as to be placedon a bed, where he remained three days in a dying situation. After ashort absence, the lady, on re-entering the room, observed him to fixhis eyes attentively on her, and make an effort to crawl across thebed towards her. This he accomplished evidently for the sole purposeof licking her hands, which, having done, he expired without a groan. "I am, " says Mr. Blaine, "as convinced that the animal was sensible ofhis approaching dissolution, and that this was a last forcible effortto express his gratitude for the care taken of him, as I am of my ownexistence; and had I witnessed this proof of excellence alone, Ishould think a life devoted to the amelioration of the condition ofdogs far too little for their deserts. "

There is a curious and interesting anecdote related of a setter whohad formed a great friendship with a cat. They were, in fact, inseparable companions, and evidently had a great love for each other. As a sporting dog the setter had few equals, but he constantly showedhis disgust when obliged to accompany a bad shot into the fields. After one of the shooting seasons was over, his master took a house inLondon, and carried his setter with him, who was seated with thefootman on the box of the carriage. It appears that the dog had notforgotten his favourite, the cat, for he disappeared from the house, and was absent for some days. He at length returned to his master'shouse in the country, and brought back the cat with him. How hecontrived to find his way backwards and forward, and how he persuadedthe cat to accompany him, are mysteries which it would be useless toattempt to solve. The fact, however, would seem to be satisfactorilyvouched for. 

Setters are known to be subject to strange freaks. A gentleman had onewhich he had shot to for three years. Upon one occasion he took thedog out, and fired seven or eight times at birds the dog had foundhim; but having missed them all, the animal returned home, evidentlydisgusted. In the evening his owner took him out again and killedevery shot, which procured a reconciliation between the dog and itsmaster. 

The late Dr. Hugh Smith related the following circumstance of a setterdog, and maintained that a bitch and a dog may fall passionately inlove with each other. As the doctor was travelling from Midhurst intoHampshire, the dogs, as usual in country places, ran out barking as hewas passing through a village; and amongst them he observed a littleugly mongrel, that was particularly eager to ingratiate himself with asetter bitch that accompanied him. Whilst stopping to water his horse, he remarked how amorous the mongrel continued, and how courteous thesetter seemed to her admirer. Provoked to see a creature of Dido'shigh blood so obsequious to such mean addresses, the doctor drew oneof his pistols and shot the dog; he then had the bitch carried onhorseback for several miles. From that day, however, she lost herappetite, ate little or nothing, had no inclination to go abroad withher master, or attend to his call, but seemed to repine like acreature in love, and express sensible concern for the loss of hergallant. Partridge season came, but Dido had no nose. Some time aftershe was coupled to a setter of great excellence, which with no smalldifficulty had been procured to get a breed from, and all the cautionwhich even the doctor himself could take was strictly exerted, thatthe whelps might be pure and unmixed; yet not a puppy did Dido bringforth but what was the picture and colour of the mongrel that he hadso many months before destroyed. The doctor fumed, and, had he notpersonally paid such attention to preserve the intercourseuncontaminated, would have suspected that some negligence hadoccasioned this disappointment; but his views were in many subsequentlitters also defeated, for Dido never produced a whelp which was notexactly similar to the unfortunate dog which was her first andmurdered lover. 

This anecdote may appear strange or untrue to some people; but it isan undoubted fact, and in some degree corroborates Dr. Smith's accountthat the late Sir Gore Ouseley had a Persian mare which produced herfirst foal by a zebra in Scotland. She was afterwards a brood-mare inEngland, and had several foals, every one of which had the zebra'sstripes on it. That the force of imagination influences some brutescannot be doubted. A gentleman had a small spaniel which had one ofher legs broken when pregnant. When she littered, one of the whelpshad one of her hind legs broken--the limb was contracted--a perfectcallus formed, in everything resembling the leg of the dam. 

Setters are difficult to break; but when well broken are invaluable assporting dogs, for they will work all day if they can occasionallyfind water. John Dudley, duke of Northumberland, is said to have beenthe first that broke a setter dog to the net, about the year 1555. 

Col. Hutchinson says that a French lady, who is fond of animals, athis request committed the following anecdote to paper:--

"My dear Médor, a beautiful red-and-white setter, was remarkable, I amtold, for many rare qualities as a sporting dog; but, of course, noneof these could be compared, in _my_ eyes, to his faithfulness andsagacity. I looked upon him as a friend; and I know that our affectionwas mutual. I could mention several instances of his intelligence--Imight say, reflection; but one in particular gave me such delightthat, though years have since passed away, all the circumstances areas fresh in my memory as if they had occurred but yesterday. I wasreturning from school at Versailles; and having rang uselessly for alittle time at the front door, I went round to the carriage-gate tohave a chat with my silky-haired favourite. He barked anxiously, thrust his cold nose through an opening near the ground, scratchedvigorously to increase its size, and in numerous ways testified greatjoy at again hearing my voice. I put my hand under the gate to caresshim; and while he was licking it, I said in jest, but in a distinct, loud voice, 'Dear Médor, I am shut out--go, bring me the keys. ' It sohappened that the stable where they usually hung was not closed. Médorran off, and in a few seconds returned and placed them in my hands. Iwill not attempt to describe _my_ gratification at such a strikingproof of his intelligence, nor _his_ evident pride at seeing me enterthe hall, nor yet the fright of the servant at thinking how long thestreet-door must have been carelessly left open. 'Médor deserves thathis life should be written, ' said I to my uncle, when afterwardstelling him the whole story; 'I am sure his deeds are as wonderful asthose related of the 'Chiens célèbres' by De Fréville. '

"My setter was immediately declared 'Keeper of the Keys, ' andforthwith invested with all the rights of office. Nor was thisconfidence misplaced. He would never give up his charge to any one butto my uncle or myself; and always seemed fully sensible of the dignityand responsibility of his new position. "

Tolfrey gives, in his "Sportsman in France, " so beautiful an instanceof a setter's untutored intelligence leading him to see the advantageof placing running birds between himself and the gun, that I willrelate it. 

"On gaining some high ground, the dog drew and stood. She was walkedup to, but to my astonishment we found no birds. She was encouraged, and with great difficulty coaxed off her point. She kept drawing on, but with the same ill success. 

"I must confess I was for the moment sorely puzzled; but knowing theexcellence of the animal, I let her alone. She kept drawing on fornearly a hundred yards--still no birds. At last, of her own accord, and with a degree of instinct amounting almost to the faculty ofreason, she broke from her point, and dashing off to the right made a_détour_, and was presently straight before me, some three hundredyards off, setting the game whatever it might be, as much as to say, 'I'll be ---- if you escape me this time. ' We walked steadily on; andwhen within about thirty yards of her, up got a covey of red-leggedpartridges, and we had the good fortune to kill a brace each. 

"It is one of the characteristics of these birds to run for an amazingdistance before they take wing; but the sagacity of my faithful dogbaffled all their efforts to escape. We fell in with several coveys ofthese birds during the day, and my dog ever after gave them thedouble, and kept them between the gun and herself. "

[Illustration]

[Illustration: THE COMFORTER, OR LAP-DOG PUG. ]

THE PUG DOG. 

 "My pug makes a bad pet; he is useless in the field, is somewhat snappish, has little sagacity, and is very cowardly: but there is an air of _bon ton_ about him which renders him a fashionable appendage to a fine lady. "--_Parisian Gossip. _

Pugs came into fashion, and probably first into this country, in theearly part of the reign of William the Third, and were then calledDutch pugs. At that time they were generally decorated with orangeribbons, and were in great request amongst the courtiers, from theking being very partial to them. 

It is difficult to say how this partiality arose, though it mayperhaps be accounted for by the following anecdote, related in ascarce old book, called "Sir Roger Williams' Actions in the LowCountries, " printed in 1618. 

"The Prince of Orange (father of William III. ) being retired into thecamp, Julian Romero, with earnest persuasions, procured license of theDuke D'Alva to hazard a _camisado_, or night attack, upon the prince. At midnight Julian sallied out of the trenches with a thousand armedmen, mostly pikes, who forced all the guards that they found in theirway into the place of arms before the Prince's tent, and killed two ofhis secretaries. The Prince himself escaped very narrowly, for I haveoften heard him say that he thought but for a dog he should have beentaken or slain. The attack was made with such resolution, that theguards took no alarm until their fellows were running to the place ofarms, with their enemies at their heels, when this dog, hearing agreat noise, fell to scratching and crying, and awakened him beforeany of his men; and though the Prince slept armed, with a lacqueyalways holding one of his horses ready bridled and saddled, yet, atthe going out of his tent, with much ado he recovered his horse beforethe enemy arrived. Nevertheless, one of his equerries was slaintaking horse presently after him, as were divers of his servants. ThePrince, to show his gratitude, until his dying day kept one of thatdog's race, and so did many of his friends and followers. Theseanimals were not remarkable for their beauty, being little white dogs, with crooked noses, called _Camuses_ (flat-nosed). "

It is difficult to account for the origin of this breed of dogs. Sofar from having any of the courage of the bulldog, which they resemblesomewhat in miniature, they are extremely cowardly. They are alsooccasionally treacherous in their disposition, and will take strongdislikes to particular persons. 

The passion of the late Lady Penrhyn for pugs was well known. Two ofthese, a mother and daughter, were in the eating-room of PenrhynCastle during the morning call of a lady, who partook of luncheon. Onbonnets and shawls being ordered for the purpose of taking a walk inthe grounds, the oldest dog jumped on a chair, and looked first at acold fowl, and then at her daughter. The lady remarked to Lady Penrhynthat they certainly had a design on the tray. The bell was thereforerung, and a servant ordered to take it away. The instant the traydisappeared, the elder pug, who had previously played the agreeablewith all her might to the visitor, snarled and flew at her, and duringthe whole walk followed her, growling and snapping at her heelswhenever opportunity served. The dog certainly went through two orthree links of inference, from the disappearance of the coveted spoilto Lady Penrhyn's order, and from Lady Penrhyn's order to the remarkmade by her visitor. 

Monsieur Blaze, in his "History of Dogs, " mentions one who was taughtto pronounce several words. The editor of the "Dumfries Courier" hasdeclared most solemnly that he "heard a pug repeatedly pronounce theword 'William, ' almost as distinctly as ever it was enunciated by thehuman voice. He saw the dog lying on a rug before the fire, when oneof his master's sons, whose name is William, and to whom he is moreobedient than to any one else, happened to give him a shove, when theanimal ejaculated, for the first time, the word 'William. ' The wholeparty were as much amazed as Balsam was when his ass spoke; and thoughthey could hardly believe their own ears, one of them exclaimed, 'Could you really find it in your heart to hurt the poor dog after hehas so distinctly pronounced your name?' This led to a series ofexperiments, which have been repeated for the satisfaction of variouspersons, but still the animal performs with difficulty. When hismaster seizes his fore-legs, and commands him to say 'William, ' hetreats the hearer With a gurring voluntary; and after this species ofmusic has been protracted for a longer or a shorter period, his voiceseems to fall a full octave before he comes out with the importantword. "

In the "Bibliothèque Germanique, " published in 1720, there is anaccount of a dog at Berlin, who was made to pronounce a few words, butthe one which he ejaculated most distinctly was "Elizabeth. " SirWilliam Gell also had a dog which was well known to repeat some words, but it should be mentioned that he never did this except his masterheld his jaws in a peculiar way. [R]

It has been said of the pug dog that he is applicable to no sport, appropriated to no useful purpose, susceptible of no predominantpassion, and in no way remarkable for any pre-eminent quality. Heseems, indeed, intended to be the patient follower of a ruminatingphilosopher, or the adulatory and consolatory companion of an oldmaid; but is now gradually becoming discarded as a pet, and is seldomseen peeping out of a carriage window or basking in a London balcony. 

The Comforter, of which a portrait is given at the head of the presentchapter, is a rare and beautiful little dog, apparently a crossbetween the Maltese and King Charles spaniel. His colour is generallywhite, with black or brown patches; his ears are long, and his headbroad on the upper part, with an acute muzzle; the hair is long overthe whole body, with the fore legs feathered; his tail is curled, andfeathered with very long hairs. This is the smallest of any of thedistinct races of dogs, and is frequently not above a foot from thetip of the nose to the point of the tail. 

[Illustration: "A PUGNACIOUS PAIR. "]

THE TURNSPIT. 

How well do I recollect, in the days of my youth, watching theoperations of a turnspit at the house of a worthy old Welsh clergymanin Worcestershire, who taught me to read. He was a good man, wore abushy wig, black worsted stockings, and large plated buckles in hisshoes. As he had several boarders, as well as day-scholars, his twoturnspits had plenty to do. They were long-bodied, crooked-legged, andugly dogs, with a suspicious, unhappy look about them, as if they wereweary of the task they had to do, and expected every moment to beseized upon to perform it. Cooks in those days, as they are said to beat present, were very cross, and if the poor animal, wearied withhaving a larger joint than usual to turn, stopped for a moment, thevoice of the cook might be heard rating him in no very gentle terms. When we consider that a large solid piece of beef would take at leastthree hours before it was properly roasted, we may form some idea ofthe task a dog had to perform in turning a wheel during that time. Apointer has pleasure in finding game, the terrier worries rats withconsiderable glee, the greyhound pursues hares with eagerness anddelight, and the bull-dog even attacks bulls with the greatest energy, while the poor turnspit performs his task by compulsion, like aculprit on a tread-wheel, subject to scolding or beating if he stops amoment to rest his weary limbs, and is then kicked about the kitchenwhen the task is over. There is a story (it is an old one) of the Bathturnspits, who were in the habit of collecting together in the abbeychurch of that town during divine service. It is said, but I will notvouch for the truth of the story, that hearing one day the word"spit, " which occurred in the lesson for the day, they all ran out ofthe church in the greatest hurry, evidently associating the word withthe task they had to perform. 

These dogs are still used in Germany, and her Majesty has two or threeof them amongst her collection of these quadrupeds. They are extremelybandy-legged, so as to appear almost incapable of running, with longbodies and rather large heads. They are very strong in the jaws, andare what are called hard-bitten. It is a peculiarity in these dogsthat they generally have the iris of one eye black and the otherwhite. Their colour varies, but the usual one is a bluish grey, spotted with black. The tail is generally curled on the back. 

As two turnspits were generally kept to do the roasting work of afamily, each dog knew his own day, and it was not an easy task to makeone work two days running. Even on his regular day a dog wouldfrequently hide himself, so cordially did he hate his prescribedduties. A story is said to have been related to a gentleman by theDuke de Liancourt, of two turnspits employed in his kitchen, who hadto take their turns every other day to get into the wheel. One ofthem, in a fit of laziness, hid himself on the day he should haveworked, so that his companion was forced to mount the wheel in hisstead, who, when his employment was over, began crying and wagging histail, and making signs for those in attendance to follow him. This wasdone, and the dog conducted them into a garret, where he dislodged hisidle companion, and killed him immediately. 

The following circumstance is said to have taken place in the Jesuits'College at La Flèche. 

After the cook had prepared his meat for roasting, he looked for thedog whose turn it was to work the spit, but not being able to findhim, he attempted to employ for this service another that happened tobe in the kitchen. The dog, however, resisted, and, having bitten thecook, ran away. The man, with whom the dog was a particular favourite, was much astonished at his ferocity. The wound he had received was asevere one, and bled profusely, so that it was necessary to dress it. While this was doing, the dog, which had run into the garden, andfound out the one whose turn it was to work the spit, came driving himbefore him into the kitchen, when the latter immediately went of hisown accord into the wheel. 

Buffon calls the turnspit the _Basset à jambes torses_, but some ofthe breed are said to have straight legs. Short as they are, the bodyis extremely strong and heavy in proportion to the height of the dog, and this weight must facilitate the turning of the wheel. 

[Illustration: THE FOXHOUND. ]

THE FOXHOUND. 

 "Warn'd by the streaming light and merry lark, Forth rush the jolly clan; with tuneful throats They carol loud, and in grand chorus joined, Salute the new-born day. 

 Then to the copse Thick with entangled grass, or prickly furze, With silence lead thy many-coloured hounds In all their beauty's pride. "--SOMERVILLE. 

It is impossible to enter upon a description of the foxhound withoutconsiderable diffidence. Whether we consider the enthusiasticadmiration it excites amongst sportsmen, the undeviating perseveranceand high courage of the animal, its perfect symmetry, and the music ofits tongue, which warms the heart and gives life and spirit to man andhorse, it must be difficult to do justice to his merits. I will, however, endeavour to do my best; and should I fail, it will not befor want of admiration of the noble animal whose qualifications I amabout to illustrate with characteristic anecdotes. 

In giving a description of the various breeds of dogs, every one mustbe aware that by crossing and recrossing them many of those we now seehave but little claim to originality. The foxhound, the old Irishwolf-dog, and the colley or shepherd's dog, may, perhaps, beconsidered as possessing the greatest purity of blood. My opinionrespecting the foxhound is partly founded on the following curiousfact:--

In Wilkinson's "Manners and Customs of the Egyptians, " there is arepresentation of as varmint a pack of foxhounds as modern eye couldwish to see. It is copied from a painting found in the interior of thetomb of the Pharaoh under whom Joseph served. Every individual houndis characteristic of the present breed, with all their courage andanimation. Each dog's tail was as an old Irish huntsman, who used toglory in seeing his hounds carry their sterns after the hardest day, once said to his master, "not behind them at all, plaize your honour, but curling out over their shoulders. "

If the copy be correct, and there is no reason to doubt it, the dog ofthis breed must be considered of a much more ancient date than isgenerally supposed. There is every reason to believe that the firstdogs came from Asia. Indeed, history, both sacred and profane, confirms this. At all events, the fact just mentioned is sufficientlycurious, and may serve to confirm the supposition I have ventured tomake of the purity of the blood of our modern foxhound. 

A volume might be written on the characteristics of these dogs, bothin the kennel and the field, and I will endeavour to illustrate thisby a few anecdotes. 

It is well known to those who have lived near a kennel, that everymorning at the first gleam of light the hounds invariably salute theglorious return of day, by joining simultaneously in a full chorus ofvoices, 'a musical discord, ' called by huntsmen "their morning hymn. "This concert does not consist of barking and yapping as many maysuppose, but something like the "Hullah system, " yet far more sonorousto a sportsman's ear. 

Those who have witnessed the process of feeding hounds cannot butacknowledge that it is a most pleasing sight. We see the anxietydepicted in their countenances to detect the huntsman's eye, who callsthem singly by name in a low tone of voice, nor does one offer to stirtill his time comes. Each dog also takes every day the same position, like children at school, except that all are obedient, and there isno noise. His late Majesty George IV. , in his younger days, was aconstant attendant at the royal kennel at feeding-time, and many ofthe royal family have also been to see the hounds fed at that place. 

Close to the Duke of Beaufort's kennel at Badmington a tame fox wasconfined, and between it and the foxhounds a great friendship existed. When the hounds were let out they played with the fox, who, on hispart, was equally ready to greet them. This reciprocal kindness hadcontinued some time, until one day a hunted fox, much exhausted, ranfor shelter into a bush close to the hutch of the tame one. Thehounds, in the eagerness of the chase, ran into the latter, mistakinghim for the other, and instantly killed him. No sooner, however, werethey aware of their having occasioned the death of their oldacquaintance, than each hound slunk away, appearing conscious andashamed of what had been done, nor could they be induced to touch thedead fox when thrown amongst them. 

Amongst other curious anecdotes of foxhounds, the following may bementioned. Some years ago, Sir John Cope had a hound called Clermont, which was in the constant habit, when the pack killed a fox, of takingpossession of the animal's head. This he invariably carried in hismouth, as if it was a trophy, and on arriving at the kennel would putit down at the kennel door. In this way he must have imposed a severetask on himself, as the pack had frequently twenty miles to go homewhen the chase was over. The weight was not indeed great; but thedog's mouth being distended the whole time must have made the taskanything but a pleasant one. 

Some hounds are possessed of extraordinary instinct, which enablesthem to find their way back to their kennels over country which theyhad never before traversed. When George III. Kept hounds in the HomePark, Windsor, General Manners, one of the equerries, took a houndnamed Bustler with him in his carriage to London. He remained there afew days, and then travelled to Bloxholm in Lincolnshire, the dogbeing still his companion inside the carriage. In less than a month, however, Bustler found his way back to Frogmore. 

The captain of a vessel informed me that he had once picked up a dogin mid-channel between Brighton and Calais, swimming boldly andstrongly towards the French coast. If this dog was endeavouring tomake his way back to a beloved master, it was an extraordinaryinstance of affection. 

A few years ago some hounds were embarked at Liverpool for Ireland, and were safely delivered at a kennel far up in that country. One ofthem, not probably liking his quarters, found his way back to the portat which he had been landed from Liverpool. On arriving at it, sometroops were being embarked in a ship bound to that place. This was afortunate circumstance for the old hound, as during the bustle he wasnot noticed. He safely arrived at Liverpool, and on his old master, orhuntsman rather, coming down stairs one morning, he recognised hisformer acquaintance waiting to greet him. 

A similar circumstance happened to some hounds sent by the late LordLonsdale to Ireland. Three of them escaped from the kennel in thatcountry, and made their appearance again in Leicestershire. 

The love of home, or most probably affection for a particularindividual, must be strongly implanted in dogs to induce them tosearch over unexplored and unknown regions for the being and home theylove. Hunger, it might be supposed, would alone stop the ardour oftheir pursuit, and induce them to seek for nourishment and shelter ata stranger's door. But such is not the case. Hungry, foot-sore, fatigued, and exhausted, the noble and faithful animal presses onward, guided by an instinct which man does not possess, and proving thestrength of his love by his indefatigable and ardent exertions. Poor, faithful animal! and is it possible that you are subjected to illtreatment, cruelty, and neglect by those who owe you a large debt ofgratitude? Your exertions procure amusement, your watchfulness andfidelity give protection, and neither sickness nor misfortune willinduce you to forsake the object of your attachment. 

But it is time to resume our anecdotes of foxhounds, and the followingis a proof of the high courage they so often display, as well astheir emulative spirit. 

In drawing a strong covert, a young bitch gave tongue very freely, whilst none of the other hounds challenged. The whipper-in rated to nopurpose, the huntsman insisted she was wrong, and the whip was appliedwith great severity, in doing which the lash most unfortunately tookthe orb of the eye out of the socket. Notwithstanding the excruciatingpain she must inevitably have laboured under, the poor sufferinganimal again flew to the scent, and exultingly proved herself to beright, for a fox having stole away, she broke covert after himunheeded, and continued the chase alone. After much delay and coldhunting the pack at length hit off the chase. At some distance afarmer made a signal with much vehemence to the company, who, uponcoming up to him, were informed that they were very far behind thefox, for that a single hound, very bloody about the head, had passed afield from him, and was running breast-high, and that there was littlechance of getting up to him. The pack, however, at her coming to acheck, did at length get up, and, after some cold hunting, the bitchagain hit off the scent, and the fox was killed after a severe run. The eye of the poor but high-spirited dog, which had hung pendentduring the chase, was removed by a pair of scissors after the fox wasdead. 

The following is another instance of the persevering strength andspirit of foxhounds:--

A gentleman of the name of Pearson, residing in Essex, had a coupleand a half of young and newly-entered hounds. One day theyaccidentally followed him in his ride, and strayed into a large covertby the roadside, and presently found something which they eagerlyhunted. After trying a long time to halloo them off, Mr. Pearsonproceeded to Colchester, where his business detained him some hours. Upon his return he heard them in the covert, and found, by some peopleat work by the side of it, that they had continued running during hisabsence, and had driven a fox over the field in which they were atwork backward and forward several times. Mr. Pearson got as near tothem as possible, continuing to give them every encouragement. Afterhunting the fox a long time in the covert he at last broke, and waskilled after a run of some miles. The time these hounds were huntingwas seven hours. Hounds have even been known to have continued a chasefor ten hours, great part of the time being hard running. A fox wasonce unkennelled near Boroughbridge in Yorkshire, at twenty-sevenminutes past nine, and except half-an-hour taken up in bolting himfrom a rabbit-burrow, the hounds had a continued run until fourteenminutes past five in the evening, when they killed the fox in goodstyle. During this space of nearly eight hours of most severerunning, several horses died in the field, and others were severelyinjured. 

A hound, the property of Mr. Teasdale of Ousby, Cumberland, during astorm, took the quest of a fox, which he pursued for the extraordinaryspace of thirty hours, four of which were run within view of someminers, who were employed upon Dalton Fell. The dog and fox were atthat time running round the bottom of a hill. The arch dog, stillkeeping on the side of Reynard which led to his clift in the rock, atlast came up to him; but being so much exhausted by his toilsomechase, he was unable to make him his prey for some time, and they layas if lifeless together. The miners then made up to his assistance;but so ardent was his desire to finish Reynard himself, that he wouldnot suffer them to come near till he had destroyed him. 

A foxhound bitch, in the middle of a chase, was taken in labour, andbrought forth a puppy. Ardour for the pursuit, united to attachmentfor her progeny, induced her to snatch it up in her mouth, and followher companions, with whom she soon came up, and in this interestingsituation she continued the whole day, --a discredit to the huntsman, and all who joined in the pursuit, to allow the poor animal to undergoso violent an exercise under such circumstances. 

In order to account for the power of endurance which foxhounds areknown to possess, it should be mentioned that their strength is verygreat. A well-bred hound has been known to measure as much round thearm of the fore-leg as a moderate-sized horse does below the knee. Iwas assured of this fact by a well-known huntsman, and it may serve insome measure to account for the following instance of undeviatingperseverance in a foxhound, related by Mr. Daniel in his Supplement tohis "Rural Sports. "

The circumstance took place in the year 1808, in the counties ofInverness and Perth, and perhaps surpasses any length of pursuit knownin the annals of hunting. On the 8th of June in that year, a fox andhound were seen near Dunkeld in Perthshire, on the high road, proceeding at a slow trotting pace. The dog was about fifty yardsbehind the fox, and each was so fatigued as not to gain on the other. A countryman very easily caught the fox, and both it and the dog weretaken to a gentleman's house in the neighbourhood, where the fox died. It was afterwards ascertained that the hound belonged to the Duke ofGordon, and that the fox was started on the morning of the 4th ofJune, on the top of those hills called Monaliadh, which separateBadenoch from Fort Augustus. From this it appeared that the chaselasted four days, and that the distance traversed from the place wherethe fox was unkennelled to the spot where it was caught, withoutmaking any allowances for doubles, crosses, &c. , and as the crowflies, exceeded seventy miles. 

It is a curious fact, that if a foxhound is taken for the first timeinto a new and strange country, and he is lost, when he returns to hiskennel he does so across fields where he had never been before, andnot by roads along which he had been taken out. A gentleman who keptfoxhounds had an opportunity of observing this. His house and kennelwere on the banks of a river, and a new hound accompanied the pack, which went across a bridge near the kennel. He was lost, and came backover the fields direct upon the kennel, and howled when he arrived onthe banks of the river. We know but little of the peculiar instinctwhich thus enables dogs to find their way across a strange country. 

Let me here give an anecdote that was communicated to me by thebrother of the gentleman to whom it occurred. This gentleman was arigid Roman Catholic, and his constant companion was a foxhound. Assoon as the forty days of Lent began, this dog left his master andcame to the house of my informant, some miles distant, where he foundfood to his liking, and stayed with him during Lent, at the end ofwhich he returned to his owner. He must have measured time veryaccurately, and has continued the practice for some years. 

In the year 1813 some hounds belonging to his late Majesty, GeorgeIII. , were sold to Mr. Walker, of Mitchell Grove, near Worthing. A fewweeks after their arrival at that place, one couple of them were sentin a stage-waggon to Dr. Willis, then living near Stamford inLincolnshire. The wagon went through London, and from thence to Dr. Willis's seat. However surprising it may appear, one of these dogs, inless than a month after he had left the kennel near Windsor, found hisway back to it. It might be supposed that in this length of time allrecollection would have ceased, but such we have seen was not thecase. 

The circumstance which happened to the late Duke of Northumberland'spack proves the foxhound's eagerness after his game. In 1796 thehounds ran a fox into a very large furze-cover near Alnwick, calledBunker's Hill, where he was lost in an earth which no one knew of. Upon the dogs coming to the kennel two couple and a half of the bestof them were missing, and not returning that night, it was thoughtthey had found a fox, and had gone off by themselves in pursuit ofhim. Several men were sent in search of them to all the earths andcrags for twenty miles round, but no tidings could be gained of them. The course where the fox was lost was then searched, and the earthdiscovered, and in digging about two yards deep, one dog was found;several yards further three more, fast in the ground; and two yardsdeeper the fifth was dug up. They were all dead. 

It is well known to those who served in the Peninsular War, that thelate Lord Hill kept a pack of foxhounds while he commanded a divisionof the army. During a period of repose a fox was unkennelled in theneighbourhood of Corja, in Spain. The run was severe for the space ofthirty minutes, when the fox, being sharply pressed by the leadinghounds, leaped down a precipice of sixty yards perpendicular. Sevencouple of the hounds immediately dashed after him, six couple of whichwere killed on the spot. The remainder of the pack (twenty-two couple)would probably have shared the same fate, had not the most forwardriders arrived in time to flog them off, which they did withdifficulty, being scarcely able to restrain their impetuosity. The foxwas found at the bottom, and covered with the bodies of the hounds. 

I might have hesitated to mention the following fact, had it not beenwitnessed by some well-known sportsmen of the present day. 

During a severe chase, and towards the termination of it, when the foxwas in view, another fox was seen, to the astonishment of the forwardriders, running in the middle of the pack of hounds, perfectlyunnoticed by them. It is supposed that the dogs ran over this fox, who, finding himself in the midst of them, probably thought it thesafest and wisest plan he could pursue to continue with them till hehad an opportunity of making his escape. 

In relating anecdotes of foxhounds it is almost unavoidable not tomention fox-hunters, and we know not how we can give to our readers abetter notion of the stirring spirit and devotion to their sport, distinguishing them beyond all other sportsmen, than by offering someextracts from the pen of the late Colonel Cook, a master of hounds, beloved by all who knew him, and venerated by those who hunted withhim. 

Hounds will not work through difficulties, nor will they exertthemselves in that killing sort of manner when they are out of blood. If after all you should, owing to ill-luck and bad weather, be in wantof it, the best way is to leave an earth open in a country where youcan spare a fox, and where you can without much trouble dig him, givehim to the hounds on the earth, and go home. But whatever you do, never turn out a bag-fox; it is injurious to your hounds, and makesthem wild and unsteady: besides, nothing is more despicable, or heldin greater contempt by real sportsmen, than the practice of huntingbag-foxes. It encourages a set of rascals to steal from other hunts;therefore keep in mind, that if there were no receivers there would beno thieves. What chiefly contributes to make fox-hunting so very farsuperior to other sports is the wildness of the animal you hunt, andthe difficulty in catching him. It is rather extraordinary, butnevertheless a well-known fact, that a pack of hounds, which are insport and blood, will not eat a bag-fox. I remember hearing ananecdote (when I was in Shropshire many years ago) of the late LordStamford's hounds, which I will relate to you as I heard it. LordForester, and his brother, Mr. Frank Forester, then boys, were attheir uncle's for the holidays. A farmer came to inform them a fox hadjust been seen in a tree. All the nets about the premises werecollected, and the fox was caught; but the Squire of Wiley, asportsman himself, and a strict preserver of foxes, sent the foximmediately to Lord Stamford by one of his tenants, that he might beinformed of the real circumstance. The next day the hounds were out, and also the Squire's tenant; they had drawn some time withoutfinding, when the farmer reminded his Lordship of the fox caught. 'Doyou think, ' said he, 'I will allow my hounds to hunt a bag-fox? Ishould never be forgiven by my huntsman!' At last, after drawingseveral coverts without finding, his Lordship gave his consent (but itwas to be kept a great secret), and the bag was to be touched upon theground in a line for a covert they were going to draw, to have theappearance of a disturbed fox, and the fox to be turned down in it. 

On going to covert, a favourite hound, called Partner, feathered onthe scent. The huntsman exclaimed in ecstacy, 'Old Partner touches onhim; we shall certainly find in the next covert. ' They found thebag-fox, and had a tolerable run; but when they killed him, not ahound would eat him! 'Now, Sir, ' said his lordship to the farmer, 'youhave deceived the huntsman and the field, but you cannot deceive myhounds. '

Next to turning out bag-men, lifting of hounds is the mostprejudicial. They should seldom be taken 'off their noses, ' nothing isgained by it in the end; hounds that are seldom lifted will kill morefoxes in the course of a season than those that frequently are. Someyears ago, when hunting with the Duke of Grafton's hounds in Suffolk, they came to a check all in a moment, at a barn near some cross-roads;they were left alone, and made a fling of themselves, in a perfectcircle, without hitting the scent; many gentlemen exclaimed, 'It isall over now, Tom; the only chance you have is to make _a wide cast_. ''No, ' answered the huntsman, 'if the fox is not in that barn, myhounds ought to be hung. '

Dick Foster, the whipper-in, now huntsman to Mr. Villebois (and a verygood one he is), was ordered to dismount and see if he could discoverthe fox; he returned and said he was _not_ there. ' Tom Rose still waspositive; at last he was viewed on a beam in the barn, and they killedhim, after a further run of about a mile. I mention this trivialcircumstance to show you clearly, that if the hounds had been hurriedup either of the roads on a wide cast, made by an ignorant huntsman, the fox would inevitably have been lost. 

Were I to have some sporting friends coming to see my hounds in thefield, I should prefer going away _close at him_ for twenty minutes, then a short check, to bring the hounds to a hunting scent, and aquick thing at last, and run into him, in order that my friends mightbe convinced the hounds could _hunt_ as well as run; for of this I amcertain, if they cannot do _both_, they merit not the name offoxhounds. 

[Illustration: HEAD OF A FAVORITE FOX-HOUND. ]

[Illustration: HOUNDS IN A BATH. ]

[Illustration: THE BEAGLE. ]

THE BEAGLE. 

The beagle may be mentioned as a sort of foxhound in miniature, andnothing can well be more perfect than the shape of these small dogs. But how different are they in their style of hunting! The beagle, which has always his nose to the ground, will puzzle for a length oftime on one spot, sooner than he will leave the scent. The foxhound, on the contrary, full of life, spirit, and high courage, is alwaysdashing and trying forward. The beagle, however, has extraordinaryperseverance, as well as nicety of scent, and also a liveliness ofmanner in hunting, which, joined to its musical and melodious note, will always afford pleasure to the lovers of the chase, or at least tothose who are unable to undertake the more exciting sport offox-hunting. In rabbit-shooting, in gorse and thick cover, nothingcan be more cheerful than the beagle; and they have been calledrabbit-beagles from this employment, for which they are peculiarlyqualified, especially those dogs which are somewhat wire-haired. 

In the reign of Queen Elizabeth a race of beagles had been bred sosmall, that a pack of them could be carried out to the field in a pairof panniers. That Princess is said to have had little _singingbeagles_, a single one of which could be placed in a man's glove, andthey probably at this time received the name of _lap-dog_ beagles. Dryden, in his "Fables, " alludes to these dogs as follows:--

 "The graceful goddess was array'd in green; About her feet were little beagles seen, That watch'd with upward eyes the motions of their queen. "

Pope also mentions them, --

 "To plains with well-bred beagles we repair, And trace the mazes of the circling hare. "

[Illustration]

[Illustration: THE MASTIFF. ]

THE MASTIFF. 

 "Great Brittain was so noted for its Mastiffs, that the Roman Emperors appointed an Officer in this Island, with the title of Procurator Cynegii, whose sole business was to breed, and transmit from hence to the Amphitheatre, such as would prove equal to the combats of the place:

 Magnaque taurorum fracturi colla Britanni. "

This noble dog, which, like the bull-dog, is supposed to be anoriginal breed peculiar to this country, is now seldom to be met within its pure state, it having been crossed and recrossed with otherdogs. Perhaps the finest specimen now to be found is one atChatsworth (where also is to be seen a noble Alpine mastiff). It is adog of gigantic size, of a yellowish colour, with a black muzzle. There is also another at Elvaston Castle in Derbyshire, not so largeas the one at Chatsworth, but apparently of the true breed, and forwhich we believe Lord Harrington gave the sum of fifty guineas. 

These dogs are brave, faithful to their trust in an extraordinarydegree, and have a noble disposition. 

Their strength also is very great, and their bark deep and loud. SirWalter Scott's remarks on the character of the dog may be well appliedto the mastiff, --"The Almighty, who gave the dog to be the companionof our pleasures and our toils, hath invested him with a nature nobleand incapable of deceit. He forgets neither friend nor foe--remembers, and with accuracy, both benefit and injury. He hath a share of man'sintelligence, but no share of man's falsehood. You may bribe a soldierto slay a man with his sword, or a witness to take life by falseaccusation, but you cannot make a dog tear his benefactor. He is thefriend of man, save when man justly incurs his enmity. "

The mastiff, indeed, usually shows a remarkable and peculiar warmth inhis attachments; and, on the other hand, he will evince his dislike inthe strongest manner. It has been observed of him, that if he is onceseverely corrected or insulted, it is almost impossible to eradicatethe feeling from his memory, and it is no less difficult to attain areconciliation with him. He seems conscious of his own strength, power, and authority, and will seldom condescend to lower his dignityby servile fawning; while he appears to consider his services as onlybefitting a trust of the highest importance. He is naturally possessedof strong instinctive sensibility, speedily obtains a knowledge of allthe duties required of him, and discharges them with the most punctualassiduity. His vigilance is very striking. He makes regular rounds ofthe premises committed to his care, examines every part of them, andsees that everything is in a state of perfect security. During thenight he will give a signal of his presence by repeated barkings, which are increased upon the least cause of alarm. Unlike thebull-dog, the mastiff always warns before he attacks. His voice isdeep and powerful in tone. 

Such is the animal of which I now propose to give a few characteristicanecdotes. 

About the year 1742, a lady, who resided in a lone house in Cheshire, permitted all her servants, except one female, to go to a supper anddance at a Christmas merry-meeting, held at an inn about three milesdistant, and kept by the uncle of the maid who had remained in thehouse with her mistress. The servants were not expected back till themorning; consequently the doors and windows were, as usual, secured, and the lady and her servant were going to bed, when they werealarmed by the voice of some persons apparently attempting to breakinto the house. Fortunately a great mastiff dog, named Cæsar, was inthe kitchen, and set up a tremendous barking, which, however, had notthe effect of intimidating the robbers. The maid-servant distinctlyheard that the attempt to enter the house was made by the villainsendeavouring to force a way through a hole under the sunk story in theadjoining back-kitchen or scullery. Being a young woman of courage, she went towards the spot, accompanied by the dog, and patting him onthe back, exclaimed, "At him, Cæsar!" The dog made a furious attack onthe person who seemed to be at the hole, and gave something a violentshake, when all became quiet, and the animal returned to her with hismouth all besmeared with blood. She afterwards heard some littlebustle outside of the house, which soon was stilled. The lady andservant sat up until morning, without farther molestation, when, ongoing into the court, a quantity of blood was found on the outside ofthe wall. The other servants, on their return, brought word to themaid that her uncle, the innkeeper, had died suddenly during thecourse of the night--they understood of a fit of apoplexy--and wasintended to be buried that day. The maid got leave to go to thefuneral, and was surprised to find the coffin on her arrival screweddown. She insisted on taking a last view of the body, which was mostunwillingly granted; when, to her great surprise and horror, she foundhis death had been occasioned from his throat being torn open. Whathad happened the evening before immediately rushed to her imagination, and it appeared too evident to her that she had been the innocentcause of her uncle's death; and, upon further inquiry, it was provedthat he and one of his servants had formed the design of robbing thehouse and murdering the lady, in her unprotected condition, during theabsence of her servants; but, by the watchfulness and courage of herdog, their design was frustrated. 

An anecdote is related of a mastiff, who, in the reign of QueenElizabeth, when Lord Buckhurst was ambassador at the Court of Charlesthe Ninth, alone and unassisted, successively engaged a bear, aleopard, and a lion, and pulled them all down. 

Very extraordinary stories have been told of these and some otherkinds of dogs discovering and circumventing plans to injure thepersons of their masters, in which it is difficult to place implicitcredit. We give one of the most marvellous of these anecdotes, as itis usually related:--

Sir H. Lee, of Ditchley, in Oxfordshire, ancestor of the late Earls ofLichfield, had a mastiff which guarded the house and yard, but hadnever met with any particular attention from his master. In short, hewas not a favourite dog, and was retained for his utility only, andnot from any partial regard. 

One night, as Sir Harry was retiring to his chamber, attended by hisfavourite valet, an Italian, the mastiff silently followed themup-stairs, which he had never been known to do before, and, to hismaster's astonishment, presented himself in the bed-room. Being deemedan intruder, he was instantly ordered to be turned out; which, beingcomplied with, the poor animal began scratching violently at the door, and howling loudly for admission. The servant was sent to drive himaway. Discouragement, however, could not check his intended labour oflove; he returned again, and was more importunate to be let in thanbefore. Sir Harry, weary of opposition, though surprised beyondmeasure at the dog's apparent fondness for the society of a master whohad never shown him the least kindness, and wishing to retire to rest, bade the servant open the door, that they might see what he wanted todo. This done, the mastiff, with a wag of the tail, and a look ofaffection at his lord, deliberately walked up, and crawling under thebed, laid himself down, as if desirous to take up his night's lodgingthere. 

To save farther trouble, and not from any partiality for his company, this indulgence was allowed. The valet withdrew, and all was still. About the solemn hour of midnight the chamber door opened, and aperson was heard stepping across the room. Sir Harry started fromsleep; the dog sprung from his covert, and seizing the unwelcomedisturber, fixed him to the spot. All was dark: Sir Harry rang hisbell in great trepidation, in order to procure a light. The personwho was pinned to the floor by the courageous mastiff roared forassistance. It was found to be the favourite valet, who littleexpected such a reception. He endeavoured to apologise for hisintrusion, and to make the reasons which induced him to take this stepappear plausible; but the importunity of the dog, the time, the place, the manner of the valet, raised suspicions in Sir Harry's mind, and hedetermined to refer the investigation of the business to a magistrate. 

The perfidious Italian, alternately terrified by the dread ofpunishment and soothed by the hope of pardon, at length confessed thatit was his intention to murder his master, and then rob the house. This diabolical design was frustrated solely by the unaccountablesagacity of the dog and his devoted attachment to his master. Afull-length picture of Sir Harry, with the mastiff by his side, andthe words, "More faithful than favoured, " is still preserved among thefamily pictures. 

Presentiments of approaching danger, such as those now related, are tobe traced only to the animal's close observation and watchful jealousyof disposition. Looks, signs, and movements are noticed by him whichescape an ordinary observer. The idea that dogs have presentiments ofdeath, and howl on such occasions, is a superstition now all butvanished. 

In October 1800, a young man going into a place of publicentertainment at Paris, was told that his dog (a fine mastiff) couldnot be permitted to enter, and he was accordingly left with the guardat the door. The young man was scarcely entered into the lobby, whenhis watch was stolen. He returned to the guard, and prayed that hisdog might be admitted, as, through his means, he might discover thethief: the dog was suffered to accompany his master, who intimated tothe animal that he had lost something; the dog set out immediately inquest of the strayed article, and fastened on the thief, whose guilton searching him was made apparent: the fellow had no less than sixwatches in his pocket, which being laid before the dog, hedistinguished his master's, took it up by the string, and bore it tohim in safety. 

At the castle of a nobleman in Bohemia, a large English mastiff waskept, that never failed to go every Sunday to the village church. Theother dogs in the neighbourhood used to follow him thither, so thatthe church was often full of these animals. This being considered anuisance, orders were given by the magistrates, at one of the pettycourts held for regulating the affairs of the village, that theinhabitants should be enjoined to keep all their dogs locked up everySunday during the time of divine service. The magistrate who presidedin this court said, in a loud and authoritative tone of voice, "I willsuffer no dogs in the church; let me not see one there in future. " Themastiff happened to be lying under the table in the court when thesewords were spoken, to which he appeared to listen with greatattention. On the ensuing Sunday the dog rose at an early hour, ranfrom house to house through the village, barking at the windows, andat last took his station before the church-door, to see whether any ofhis companions would venture to approach it, notwithstanding theprohibition. Unfortunately one of them appeared. The mastiffimmediately fell upon him with the utmost fury, bit him to death, anddragged him out into the street. He continued in the same manner forseveral subsequent Sundays to stand sentinel, without ever enteringthe church. 

Captain Brown gives an interesting instance of the gentleness of amastiff towards a child. He says that a large and fierce mastiff, which had broken his chain, ran along a road near Bath, to the greatterror and consternation of those whom he passed. When suddenlyrunning by a most interesting boy, the child struck him with a stick, upon which the dog turned furiously on his infant assailant. Thelittle fellow, so far from being intimidated, ran up to him, and flunghis arms round the neck of the enraged animal, which instantly becameappeased, and in return caressed the child. It is a fact well known, that few dogs will bite a child, or even a young puppy. Captain Brownadds, that he possesses a mastiff, which will not allow any one of hisfamily to take a bone from him except his youngest child. 

A chimney-sweeper had ordered his dog, a mastiff crossed with abull-dog, to lie down on his soot-bag, which he had placedinadvertently almost in the middle of a narrow back-street in the townof Southampton. A loaded coal-cart passing by, the driver desired thedog to move out of the way. On refusing to do so, he was scolded, thenbeaten, first gently, and afterwards with a smart application of thecart-whip, but all to no purpose. The fellow, with an oath, threatenedto drive over the dog, and he did so, the faithful animal endeavouringto arrest the progress of the wheel by biting it. He thus allowedhimself to be killed sooner than abandon his trust. 

A mastiff-dog, who owed more to the bounty of a neighbour than to hismaster, was once locked by mistake in the well-stored pantry of hisbenefactor for a whole day, where milk, butter, bread, and meat, within his reach, were in abundance. On the return of the servant tothe pantry, seeing the dog come out, and knowing the time he had beenconfined, she trembled for the devastation which her negligence musthave occasioned; but, on close examination, it was found that thehonest creature had not tasted of anything, although, on coming out, he fell on a bone that was given to him, with all the voraciousness ofhunger. 

These dogs are alive to injuries, and not slow in resenting them. 

A carrier had a mastiff remarkable for his sagacity. It happenedunfortunately one day, that one of the waggon-horses trod accidentallyupon him in the yard. The dog became furious, and would have attackedthe horse had he not been prevented. It was usual for the dog toremain with the horses at night in the stable. After the men hadretired, the mastiff selected out the animal which had trod upon him, and, no doubt, would have put an end to his existence, had not thecarters, who were at hand, hearing an unusual noise, come to hisassistance. 

The widow of a farmer had two mastiffs, which, from their fierceness, rendered some precaution necessary in approaching the house. Theirmistress was taken suddenly ill and died, and in the afternoon of herdeath the benevolent wife of the clergyman of the parish called to seeif she could render any assistance. After knocking in vain at thefront door, she went to the back of the house with fear and trembling. On entering the kitchen, to her dismay she saw the two dogs on thehearth. They appeared, however, to be sensible of what had takenplace, for they only lifted up their heads mournfully, looked at theintruder, and resumed their former attitude. 

My neighbour, Mr. Penrhyn, has two noble mastiffs of the Lyme breed, which I believe is now nearly extinct. It is probably, however, preserved by Thomas Leigh, Esq. Of Lyme Park, in Cheshire, who hasalso the wild breed of cattle, now only, I believe, found at LymePark, and at Chillington, in Yorkshire, the seat of Lord Tankerville. There is a story current at Lyme Park, that some years ago a dog ofthe breed in question, whilst walking with the steward in the park, took offence at one of the wild bulls, and would instantly haveattacked it, but was with difficulty restrained by the steward. Thedog returned home, evidently bearing the offence in mind, and the nextmorning, the steward, seeing him covered with blood, suspectedsomething amiss, and on going into the park, found that not only thebull, but two cows had been worried by him. 

A mastiff belonging to a tanner had taken a great dislike to a man, whose business frequently brought him to the house. Being much annoyedat his antipathy and fearful of the consequences, he requested theowner of the dog to endeavour to remove the dislike of the animal tohim. This he promised to do, and brought it about in the followingmanner, by acting on the noble disposition of the dog. Watching hisopportunity, he one day, as if by accident, pushed the dog into a wellin the yard, in which he allowed it to struggle a considerable time. When the dog seemed to be getting tired, the tanner desired hiscompanion to pull it out, which he did. The animal, on beingextricated, after shaking himself, fawned upon his deliverer, as ifsensible that he had saved his life, and never molested him again. Onthe contrary he received him with kindness whenever they met, andoften accompanied him a mile or two on his way home. 

A personal friend of the writer's, some time since, on a visit at agentleman's house in the country, was taking a moonlight walk throughthe shrubbery and pleasure-grounds, when he was startled by a noisebehind him; on turning his head, he perceived a large mastiff, whichwas ordinarily let loose as evening closed, and which had tracked himthrough the grounds. The dog with a fierce growl roughly seized him;our friend wisely deemed passive obedience and non-resistance the mostprudent if not the most courageous part for him to play, and wasunceremoniously led back through the grounds to the hall-door; here hewas relieved by the master of the house. Subsequently assured that hehad no cause to fear, he repeated his walk; the dog was again at hisside, but walked quietly with him, and acknowledged in the usual wayhis words of conciliation. On these instances of sagacity (sagacity ofa kind very different from that displayed by the shepherd's dog or thesetter) there needs no comment. 

A gentleman in Ireland had a mastiff which was kept to guard hispremises. A small dog, belonging to a poor man who came to the houseon business, had barked at and annoyed him, but he was obliged tosubmit to the insult at the time with sullen patience, as his chainprevented him from taking any immediate revenge. A few eveningsafterwards, however, he contrived to escape from the back-yard, andimmediately made his way to the cabin of the cur's master. Finding thedoor open, _more Hibernicorum_, he entered without even a premonitorygrowl, to the dismay of the humble inmates, who were eating theirsupper of potatoes and milk, seized the offender, and killed it. 

Another mastiff behaved in a very different manner. He had also beenannoyed by a little cur as he passed along the streets, which he borewith great patience for a long time; at last his persecutor became sotroublesome that he could bear it no longer. He, therefore, one daycaught his contemptible adversary by the neck, carried him to the edgeof a wharf, and dropped him gently into the water. [S]

The instinctive appreciation of the nature of property as shown indogs is exemplified in the following instance:--A lady at Bath, walking out one day, was impeded in her progress by a strange mastiffdog. She became alarmed, and at the same time perceived that she hadlost her veil. Upon retracing her steps, the dog went on before her, till the lost article was discovered; and as soon as it was picked up, the animal hastened after his own master. 

[Illustration]

[Illustration: THE BULL-DOG. ]

THE BULL-DOG. 

 "The heroes of a bull-fight, and the champions of a cock-fight, can produce but few, if any, disciples brought up under their tuition, who have done service to their country, but abundant are the testimonies which have been registered at the gallows of her devoted victims, trained up to the pursuits of bull-baiting. "--DR. BARRY. 

The bull-dog has been called the most courageous animal in the world. He is low in stature, although remarkably deep-chested, strong, andmuscular. From the projection of his under jaw, which occasions histeeth always to be seen, and from his eyes being distant from eachother, and somewhat prominent, he has an appearance which wouldprevent a stranger from attempting any familiarity with him. He is, however, a dog capable of strong attachment to his master, whom he isat all times ready to defend. His strength is so great, that inpinning a bull, one of this breed of dogs has been known, by giving astrong muscular twist of his body, to bring the bull flat on his side. In consequence also of his strength, high courage, and perseverance, abull-dog has gone a greater distance in swimming than any other doghas been known to do. 

It is universally known amongst the lovers of bull-dogs, that whenonce exasperated by an opponent or encouraged by the owner, no pain orpunishment will induce him to swerve from his purpose, or in the leastrelax the violence of his endeavours to subdue whatever may be theobject of his dislike or resentment. Amidst the many instances whichmight be adduced in support of this assertion, we shall notice onewhich is well-authenticated. Some years since, when bull-baiting wasmore common than in the present improved state of civilization, ajuvenile amateur, at an entertainment of this kind in the north ofEngland, confident in the courage and purity of blood in his bull-dog, laid a wager "that he would at four distinct intervals deprive theanimal of one of his feet by amputation, and that after everyindividual deprivation he should still attack the bull with hisprevious ferocity; and that, lastly, he should continue to do so uponhis stumps. " Shocking as the recital must prove to the feelings ofevery reader, the experiment was made, and the dog continued to seizethe bull with the same eagerness as before. In a match which was madefor the purpose, one of these animals fought and beat two powerfulNewfoundland dogs. 

It must be a matter of congratulation to every humane person, that thebarbarous and cruel custom of bull-baiting no longer exists in thiscountry. That it tended to brutalize the working classes, whatever itsadvocates may have stated to the contrary, cannot be doubted. In thepart of Staffordshire in which I formerly resided, and where thecustom was extremely prevalent, idleness, drunkenness and profligacy, were conspicuous amongst those who kept bull-dogs. Even females mightbe seen at a bull-baiting, in their working dresses as they came outof a factory, their arms crossed and covered with their aprons, standing to enjoy the sport, if such it could be called. 

The breed of dogs kept by the persons referred to was said to be ofthe purest kind, and large sums were frequently given for them. LordCamelford purchased one for eighty guineas; forty and fifty pounds wasno uncommon price for one. These dogs would appear to have a naturalantipathy to the bull, as puppies will attack them when only a fewmonths old, and if permitted to continue the combat, will sufferthemselves to be destroyed rather than relinquish the contest. Awell-bred dog always attacks the bull in front, and endeavours toseize on the lip as the most sensitive part. 

A nobleman had a favourite bull-dog, which was his constant companionin his carriage to and from his seat in Scotland for many years. Thedog was strongly attached to his master, and was gentle andinoffensive. As he grew old, it was determined to leave him in London. The carriage came to the door, his master entered it, and droveoff, taking another dog for his companion. The packing--thepreparations--had all been witnessed by the faithful bull-dog, who wasevidently aware that he had been deserted by the only being he loved. From that moment he became melancholy. He refused to eat, andnotwithstanding all the care taken of him, he pined and died. 

A bull-dog, not many years since, saved a shipwrecked crew by towing arope from the vessel to the shore, after two fine Newfoundland dogshad perished in the attempt. This success may be attributed to hisindomitable courage, which prevented him from giving up his exertionswhile life remained. 

I remember many years ago hearing of some robberies, which took placeby means of a bull-dog in the neighbourhood of London, one of whichwas near my own residence. A gentleman in riding home one winter'sevening, had one of the hocks of his horse seized, as he was trottingalong the road, by a bull-dog, who kept his hold, and brought thehorse to the ground. A man then came up, and robbed the gentleman ofhis purse. 

It was common in Staffordshire, before young dogs were able to copewith a bull, to practise them with a man, who stood proxy for thebull. On one occasion of this sort, Mr. _Deputy_ Bull being properlystaked, began to perform his part by snorting and roaring lustily. Thedog ran at him, but was repulsed, --the courage of the animal, however, increased with every struggle, and at last he seized his bipedantagonist by the cheek, who, with rueful countenance, endured it forsome time, till at length he was compelled to cry out to his companionto take the dog off; but he, unwilling to damp the courage of his_élève_, vociferated, "_Woot_ spoil the pup, _mun_?--let 'em taste_bloode_ first!"

Bull-dogs are now much less common than they were. A cross breedbetween them and a good terrier is said to produce better fighters andharder biters than the pure bull-dog. If one of these dogs is crossedwith a greyhound, the offspring is found to be too courageous, andfrom this cause in attacking deer they have been frequently killed. 

[Illustration]

THE DALMATIAN OR COACH-DOG. 

This dog, says Mr. Bewick, has been erroneously called the Danish dogby some authors, and by Buffon the harrier of Bengal; but his nativecountry is Dalmatia, a mountainous district on the Adriatic coast. Hehas been domesticated in Italy for upwards of two centuries, and isthe common harrier of that country. 

The Dalmatian is also used there as a pointer, to which his naturalpropensity more inclines him than to be a dog of the chase: he is saidto be easily broken, and to be very staunch. He is handsome in shape, something between the British foxhound and English pointer; his headmore acute than that of the latter, and something longer: his generalcolour white, and his whole body and legs covered with smallirregular-sized black or reddish-brown spots. The pure breed hastanned cheeks and black ears. He is much smaller than the large Danishdog. A singular opinion prevailed at one time in this country, thatthis beautiful dog was rendered more handsome by having his earscropped: this barbarous fancy is now fast dying away. 

The only use to which this elegant dog is applied is as an attendantupon a carriage, for which the symmetry of his form and beauty of hisskin peculiarly fit him. He familiarises readily with horses, and istherefore invariably entrusted to the stables. A most erroneous notionhas long prevailed that neither this nor the great Danish dog has thesense of smell. They have been indiscriminately called the Coach-dog. 

Mr. Dibdin, in his "Tour through England, " says, "I took with me lastsummer one of those spotted dogs called Danish, but the breed isDalmatian. It was impossible for anything to be more sportive, yetmore inoffensive, than this dog. Throughout the mountainous parts ofCumberland and Scotland his delight was to chase the sheep, which hewould follow with great alertness even to the summits of the mostrugged steeps; and when he had frightened them, and made them scamperto his satisfaction (for he never attempted to injure them), heconstantly came back wagging his tail, and appearing very happy atthose caresses which we, perhaps absurdly, bestowed upon him. 

"About seven miles on this side of Kinross, in the way from Stirling, he had been amusing himself playing these pranks, the sheep flyingfrom him in all directions, when a black lamb turned upon him, andlooked him full in the face; he seemed astonished for an instant, butbefore he could rally his resolution, the lamb began to paw and playwith him. It is impossible to describe the effect this had upon him;his tail was between his legs, he appeared in the utmost dread, andslunk away confused and distressed: presently his new acquaintanceinvited him, by all manner of gambols, to be friendly with him. What amoment for Pythagoras or Lavater! Gradually overcoming his fears, heaccepted this brotherly challenge, and they raced away together, androlled over one another like two kittens. Presently appeared anotherobject of distress. The shepherd's boy came to reclaim his lamb; butit paid no attention except to the dog, and they were presently at aconsiderable distance. We slackened our pace for the convenience ofthe boy, but nothing would do; we could no more call off the dog thanhe could catch the lamb. They continued sporting in this manner formore than a mile and a half. At length, having taken a circuit, theywere in our rear; and after we had crossed a small bridge, the boywith his pole kept the lamb at bay, and at length caught him; andhaving tied his plaid round him, it was impossible for him to escape. Out of fear of the boy, and in obedience to us, the dog followedreluctantly; but the situation of the lamb all this time cannot bepictured; he made every possible attempt to escape from the boy, evenat the risk of tumbling into the river, rather than not follow thedog. This continued till the prospect closed, and we had lost sight ofour new ally, whose unexpected offer of amity to the Dalmatian seemedever after to operate as a friendly admonition, for from that day hewas cured of following sheep. "

Lord Maynard, some years since, lost a coach-dog in France, which hein vain endeavoured to find. He returned to England, where he had notlong arrived before the dog appeared; but the mode of his returnremained for ever unexplained, though it is more than probable thatthe dog's sagacity, when he had made his escape from confinement, prompted him to go to the sea-coast, where he found means to get onboard some vessel bound for the opposite shore. 

The late Mr. Thomas Walker, of Manchester, had a small Dalmatian dog, which was accustomed to be in the stable with two of hiscarriage-horses, and to lie in a stall with one of them, to which hewas particularly attached. The servant who took care of the horses wasordered to go to Stockport (which is distant about seven miles), uponone of the horses, and took the one above mentioned (the favourite ofthe dog), with him, and left the other with the dog in the stable;being apprehensive lest the dog, which was much valued by his master, should be lost upon the road. After the man and horse had been goneabout an hour, some person coming accidentally into the stable, thedog took the opportunity of quitting his confinement, and immediatelyset off in quest of his companion. The man, who had finished thebusiness he was sent upon, was just leaving Stockport, when he wassurprised to meet the dog he had left in the stable, coming with greatspeed down the hill into the town, and seemed greatly rejoiced to meetwith his friendly companion, whom he had followed so far by scent. Thefriendship between these animals was reciprocal; for the servant, going one day to water the carriage-horses at a large stone trough, which was then at one end of the exchange, the dog as usualaccompanying them, was attacked by a large mastiff, and in danger ofbeing much worried, when the horse (his friend), which was led by theservant with a halter, suddenly broke loose from him, and went to theplace where the dogs were fighting, and with a kick of one of hisheels struck the mastiff from the other dog clean into a cooper'scellar opposite; and having thus rescued his companion, returnedquietly with him to drink at the conduit. 

THE GREAT DANISH DOG. 

Buffon was of opinion that this variety, which is chiefly found inDenmark, Russia, and Northern Germany, is only the Mâtin (the usualsheep-dog of France) transported into a northern latitude. The colourof this dog is generally white, marked all over his body with blackspots and patches, in general larger than those of the Dalmatian, ofwhich some have supposed him to be a congener. His ears are for themost part white, while those of the Dalmatian are usually black. 

The great Danish dog is a fine sprightly animal, but is of little useeither for sporting or watching. Like the Dalmatian, he is chieflyused in this country as an attendant on carriages, to which he formsan elegant appendage. 

Mr. Johnson, a traveller from Manchester, on his route throughScotland on horseback, was benighted, and coming to a smallpublic-house on the road, he thought it better to take up hislodgings there, if possible, than to proceed further that night. Onentering the house, he found only an old woman, who, to his inquiries, answered she would accommodate him with a bed, and provide for thehorse in a small shed, if he would assist her in carrying hay andlitter, as there was no other person then in the house. This wasreadily agreed to by Mr. Johnson, who, after having done so, and takena little refreshment, was shown by the old woman to his bedroom. 

A large Danish dog, which accompanied him on his journey, offered togo up to the room with him, which the old woman strongly objected to, but Mr. Johnson firmly persisted in having him admitted. The dog, onentering the room, began to growl, and was altogether very unruly. Hismaster in vain attempted to quiet him, --he kept growling and lookingangrily under the bed, which induced Mr. Johnson to look therelikewise, when, to his utter astonishment, he saw a man concealed atthe farther end. On encouraging the dog, he sprang immediately at him, whilst Mr. Johnson seized his pistols, and presenting one at thestranger, who had a large knife in his hand, and was struggling withthe dog, declared he would instantly shoot him if he made furtherresistance. The man then submitted to be bound, and acknowledged thathis intention was to rob and murder Mr. Johnson, which was thusprovidentially prevented by the wonderful sagacity of his faithfuldog. Mr. Johnson, after securely binding the man and fastening thedoor, went (accompanied by his dog) to the shed where his horse wasleft, which he instantly mounted, and escaped without injury to thenext town, where he gave to a magistrate a full account of themurderous attempt, and the culprit was taken into custody andafterwards executed. 

A gamekeeper belonging to the castle of Holstein (in Denmark), returned one evening from a long and fatiguing chase, and depositedthe game in the larder, without being aware that he had locked up hisdog at the same time. Business of importance unexpectedly called himaway immediately afterwards, and he did not return for five days;when, mindful of his game, he went to the larder, and beheld his dogstretched dead at the door. The gamekeeper stood extremely affected;but what were his sensations, when he saw on the table eleven brace ofpartridges, and five grouse untouched! This admiration increased hisgrief, when he found the poor dog had suffered starvation rather thantransgress his duty. 

At a convent in France, twenty paupers were served with a dinner at acertain hour every day. A mâtin dog belonging to the convent did notfail to be regularly present at this repast, to receive the scrapswhich were now and then thrown to him. The guests, however, were poorand hungry, and of course not very wasteful, so that their pensionerdid little more than scent the feast, of which he would fain havepartaken. The portions were served by a person at the ringing of abell, and delivered out by means of what in religious houses is termeda _tour_--a machine like the section of a cask, that, by turning roundon a pivot, exhibits whatever is placed on the concave side, withoutdiscovering the person who moves it. One day this dog, who had onlyreceived a few scraps, waited till the paupers were all gone, took therope in his mouth, and rang the bell. His stratagem succeeded. Herepeated it the next day with the same good fortune. At length thecook, finding that twenty-one portions were given out instead oftwenty, was determined to discover the culprit. In doing which he hadno great difficulty; for, lying in wait, and noticing the paupers asthey came for their different portions, and that there was no intruderexcept the dog, he began to suspect the truth; which he was confirmedin when he saw the animal continue with great deliberation till thevisitors were all gone, and then pull the bell. The matter was relatedto the community; and to reward him for his ingenuity, the dog waspermitted to ring the bell every day for his dinner, on which a messof broken victuals was always afterwards served out to him. 

THE CUR DOG. 

Almost every dog which is cross-bred is ranked as a cur dog ormongrel, but that which is specially described by Youatt, is theshepherd's dog crossed with the terrier, and is nearly smooth; but heis considerably longer in the legs in proportion to the size of hisbody, is stronger in the make, has half-pricked ears, is generallyblack and white, although sometimes all black, and has rather a shorttail. In the north of England and southern counties of Scotland greatattention is paid to the breeding of this dog, and to breaking him infor driving and tending cattle, which he does with great intelligence;indeed his sagacity in everything is uncommonly great, and he is verytrusty. These dogs bite very keenly, and always make their attack atthe heels of cattle, who, on this account, having no defence againstthem, are quickly compelled to run. 

The cur has long and somewhat deservedly obtained a very bad name as abully and a coward; and certainly his habit of barking at everythingthat passes, and flying at the heels of the horse, renders him often avery dangerous nuisance. He is, however, valuable to the cottager; heis a faithful defender of his humble dwelling; no bribe can seduce himfrom his duty; and he is a useful and an effectual guard over theclothes and scanty provisions of the labourer, who may be working insome distant part of the field. All day long he will lie upon hismaster's clothes seemingly asleep, but giving immediate warning of theapproach of a supposed marauder. He has a propensity, when at home, tofly at every horse and every strange dog; and of young game of everykind there is not a more ruthless destroyer than the village cur. 

The following story is strictly authentic:--"Not long ago a young man, an acquaintance of Lord Fife's coachman, was walking, as he had oftendone, in his lordship's stables at Banff. Taking an opportunity whenthe servants were not regarding him, he put a bridle into his pocket. A Highland cur that was generally about the stables observed thetheft, and immediately began to bark at him; and when he got to thestable door would not let him pass, but held him fiercely by the legto prevent him. As the servants had never seen the dog act thusbefore, and the same young man had been often with them, they couldnot imagine what could be the reason of the dog's conduct. However, when they perceived the end of a valuable bridle peeping out of theyoung man's pocket they were able to account for it, and on his givingit up the dog let go his hold and allowed him to pass. "

"I recollect, " says Mr. Hall, "when I passed some time at the ViscountArbuthnot's at Hatton, in the parish of Marykirk, one of hislordship's estates, that when the field-servants went out one morningthey found a man whom they knew, and who lived a few miles' distance, lying on the road a short way from the stable with a number ofbridles, girths, &c. &c. Near him, and the house-dog, which was of theHighland breed, lying also at his ease, holding the seat of the man'sbreeches in his mouth. The man confessed his crime, and told them thatthe log had struggled with him, and held him in that position forfive hours; but that immediately after the servants came up he let gohis hold. "

The following anecdote is well known. In London, a few years since, abox, properly directed, was sent to a merchant's shop to lie there allnight, and be shipped off with other goods next morning. A dog, whichaccidentally came into the shop with a customer, by smelling the box, and repeatedly barking in a peculiar way, led to the discovery that itdid not contain goods, but a fellow who intended to admit hiscompanions and plunder the shop in the night-time. 

John Lang, Esq. , deputy-sheriff of Selkirk, had a female cur big withpups, which on one occasion, when out in the fields attending thecattle, was taken in travail, and pupped on the moor. She concealedher litter in a whin-bush, brought the cattle home at the usual timewith the utmost care, and, having delivered her charge, returned tothe moor and brought home the puppies one by one. Mr. Lang, with thathumanity which marks his character, preserved the whole litter, thathe might not give the least cause of pain to so faithful and soaffectionate an animal. 

In Lambeth Church there is a painting of a man with a dog on one ofthe windows. In reference to this, we learn by tradition that a pieceof ground near Westminster Bridge, containing one acre and nineteenroods (named Pedlar's Acre), was left to this parish by a pedlar, uponcondition that his picture, and that of the dog, should beperpetually preserved on painted glass on one of the windows of thechurch, which the parishioners have carefully performed. The time ofthis gift was in 1504, when the ground was let at 2_s. _ 8_d. _ perannum; but in the year 1762 it was let on lease at 100_l. _ per year, and a fine of 800_l. _; and is now worth more than 250_l. _ yearly. Thereason alleged for the pedlar's request is, that being very poor, andpassing the aforementioned piece of ground, he could by no means gethis dog away, which kept scratching a particular spot of earth, untilhe attracted his master's notice; who going back to examine the cause, and pressing with his stick, found something hard, which, on a nearerinspection, proved to be a pot of gold. With part of this money hepurchased the land, and settled in the parish; to which he bequeathedit on the conditions aforesaid. 

"It was with pleasure, " observes Mr. Taylor, in his "General Characterof the Dog, " "that I watched the motions of a grateful animalbelonging to one of the workmen employed at Portsmouth dockyard. Thisman had a large cur dog, who regularly every day brought him hisdinner upwards of a mile. When his wife had prepared the repast, shetied it up in a cloth, and put it in a hand-basket; then callingTrusty (for so he was properly named), desired him to be expeditious, and carry his master's dinner, and be sure not to stop by the way. Thedog, who perfectly well understood his orders, immediately obeyed, bytaking the handle of the basket in his mouth, and began his journey. It was laughable to observe that, when tired by the way, he would verycautiously set the basket on the ground; but by no means would sufferany person to come near it. When he had sufficiently rested himself, he again took up his load, and proceeded forward until he came to thedock gates. Here he was frequently obliged to stop, and wait withpatience until the porter, or some other person, opened the door. Hisjoy was then visible to every one. His pace increased; and withwagging tail, expressive of his pleasure, he ran to his master withthe refreshment. The caresses were then mutual; and after receivinghis morsel as a recompense for his fidelity, he was ordered home withthe empty basket and plates, which he carried back with the greatestprecision, to the high diversion of all spectators. "

Some years since, a distiller, who lived at Chelsea, in Middlesex, hada middle-sized brown cur dog, crossed with the spaniel, which hadreceived so complete an education from the porter, that he wasconsidered a very valuable acquisition. This porter used generally tocarry out the liquors to the neighbouring customers in small casks, tied up in a coarse bag, or put in a barrow; and whenever the manthought proper to refresh himself (which was frequently the case), hewould stop the barrow, and calling Basto (which was the dog's name), in a very peremptory manner bid him mind the bag; and away he went todrink; and frequently left the barrow in the middle of the street. Basto always rested near his trust, and sometimes apparently asleep;which induced many idle people, who, seeing a bag in the road withoutan owner, to attempt stealing the same. But no sooner had theyendeavoured to decamp with the prize, than this vigilant creature flewat them with such outrage, as obliged them immediately to relinquishthe undertaking; and glad were they to escape with a few bites andwhole bones, and leave the tempting bait to catch other dishonestrogues, as it had done them. 

One day, a person having particular business with the master, whichrequired dispatch, went to the distillery adjoining thedwelling-house, thinking it very likely he might meet him there givingorders to the servant; and finding the outward door open, walked intothe still-room: but no sooner had he gone a few steps than a fiercegrowl assailed his ears, and almost imperceptibly he was pinioned byfear to the wall. The affrighted person called loudly for help; butthe family being at the other part of the house, his cries werefruitless. The generous animal, however, who had the frightened manclose in custody, scorned to take a mean advantage of his situation byrecommencing hostilities. He remained perfectly quiet, unless thedelinquent attempted to stir--he then became as furious as ever; sothat the prisoner prudently remained like a statue fixed against thewall, while Basto, like a sentinel on his post, kept a strict guard, lest he should escape before the family arrived. In about twentyminutes the master, in coming from the parlour to the counting-house, beheld the prisoner, and Basto walking backwards and forwards besidehim. The dog, by a thousand gesticulations, seemed to wish a properexplanation might take place. The master laughed heartily at the poorfellow's expense, as did he likewise when liberated; but he had everafter the prudence, when business brought him to the house, to ringloudly at the door, notwithstanding it frequently stood wide open. 

A carrier on his way to Dumfries had occasion to leave his cart andhorse upon the public road, under the protection of a passenger andhis dog Trusty. Upon his return, he missed a led horse belonging to agentleman in the neighbourhood, which he had tied to the end of acart, and likewise one of the female passengers. On inquiry he wasinformed that, during his absence, the female, who had been anxious totry the mettle of the pony, had mounted it, and that the animal hadset off at full speed. The carrier expressed much anxiety for thesafety of the young woman, casting at the same time an expressive lookat his dog. Trusty observed his master's eye, and aware of itsmeaning, instantly set off in pursuit of the pony, which he came upwith soon after he had passed the first toll-bar on the Dalbeattieroad; when he made a sudden spring, seized the bridle, and held theanimal fast. Several people having observed the circumstance, and theperilous situation of the girl, came to her relief. The dog, however, notwithstanding their repeated endeavours, would not quit his hold ofthe bridle; and the pony was actually led into the stable with thedog, till such time as the carrier should arrive. Upon the carrierentering the stable, Trusty wagged his tail in token of satisfaction, and immediately relinquished the bridle to his master. 

A short time ago a large cur, belonging to a gentleman at Richmond, inYorkshire, accidentally fell into a well, and for the moment he gavehim up as lost. But as a sort of desperate effort to save the dog, hedirected a boy to let down a rope he had into the well, in the hopethat possibly it might catch around his leg or neck. No sooner, however, did the rope come within reach, than the dog seized it withhis teeth, and the parties above finding it had secured him, began todraw up; when, about half-way up, he lost his hold and fell back. Again the rope was let down, and again the dog seized it, and he wasdrawn nearly to the mouth of the well; when his bite gave way, and thethird time he fell into the water. Once more the rope was let down, and this time the dog took so thorough a hold, that he was broughttriumphantly up; and when set down in safety, shook the water from hishair, and wagged his tail, apparently as proud of the exploit as theother parties were gratified with it. 

THE LURCHER. 

This variety is smaller than the greyhound, with its limbs strongerand shorter, the head less acute, with short, erect, and half-prickedears: the whole body and tail are covered with rough coarse hair; itis grizzly about the muzzle, of a pale sand-colour, or iron-grey, andof sullen aspect. 

The lurcher is supposed to have been originally a cross between thegreyhound and the shepherd's dog, re-crossed with the terrier; hencethe quickness of his scent, his speed, and intelligence. The habits ofthis dog lead him to concealment and cunning, and he is seldom foundin the possession of honourable sportsmen. He is often employed bypoachers in killing hares and rabbits in the obscurity of night; andwhen taken to the warren, he lies squat, or steals out with the utmostprecaution, and on seeing or scenting the rabbits, darts upon themwith exceeding quickness or runs them down at a stretch, withoutbarking or making the least noise. He is trained to bring the booty tohis master, who often waits at some distance to receive it. One ofthese dogs will kill a great many rabbits in the course of a night. Col. Hamilton Smyth says, "The lurcher occasionally makes great havocamong sheep and deer, and acquires the wild scent of game. Sometimesthese dogs become feral, when their owners happen to be captured andimprisoned. They have been regularly hunted with hounds, but seldomdestroyed, because when the chase came up with them, the pack seemedto be surprised at finding that it was only a dog they had followed. At other times, however, when a lurcher had snapped up, or attackedthe game the pack was hunting, the dogs on coming up have torn him topieces, as if he had been a wild beast. "

Bewick says that in his time this breed was so destructive that it wasproscribed, and is now almost extinct. "I have seen a dog and bitch ofthis kind, " he observes, "in the possession of a man who had formerlyused them for the purpose above described. He declared, that by theirmeans he could procure in an evening as many rabbits as he could carryhome. "

"In the year 1809, " says Capt. Brown, "I resided for some time on HolyIsland, coast of Northumberland, and had occasion one day to be inBerwick at an early hour. I left the island on horseback at low-water, by moonlight. When I reached Goswick-warren, I came upon two mensitting by the side of a turf-dyke. I spoke to them; and while I wasin the act of doing so, a dog of this breed approached with a rabbitin his mouth, which he laid down and scampered off. Being convincedthey were engaged in rabbit-stealing, I entered into conversationrespecting the qualities of their dogs, which I was anxious to learn;and upon my declaring that I was a stranger, and that I would notdivulge their delinquency, they readily gave me a detail of them. They had scarcely commenced when another dog made his appearance witha rabbit, and laid it down, but did not, like his companion, make offwhen he had done so. One of the men said to him, 'Go off, sir, ' whenhe immediately left them; and he told me he was a young dog, littlemore than a year old. They informed me, that such was the keenness ofthe older dog, and another which had shortly before died, for huntingrabbits and hares, that they would frequently go out of their ownaccord, when it was inconvenient for their owners to attend them, andthat they invariably fetched in a hare or rabbit. Indeed, their ardourwas such, that they would sometimes go to a rabbit-warren, at adistance of eight miles from their dwelling, in pursuit of game; inconsequence of which it became necessary for their masters to chainthem every night when they did not accompany them in this pursuit. Thedogs never attempted to leave home during the day, for which reasonthey were allowed to go at full liberty. When the men intended on anevening to hunt rabbits, they threw down the sacks in which theycarried their booty in a corner of their house, when the dogs lay downbeside them, and would not stir till their masters took them up. Thesedogs scarcely ever barked, except on the way either to or from thisplunder; on which occasions they always preceded their owners aboutfifty yards. If they met any person coming, they invariably made anoise, but never were known to bite any one. I asked them if this wasan instinctive property, and they informed me they were trained to it. As they found it necessary in various places to leave the highway toavoid villages, their dogs never failed to quit the road at the veryplaces where they usually deviated, although at that distance beforethem. Sometimes one of the dogs would return back to the party whileon the road, and wag his tail, but they seldom or never did sotogether; and if he showed a desire to remain by his master, thelatter had only to say, 'Go on, sir, ' when he set off at full speed tohis post as one of the advanced guard. During the time I wasconversing with them these dogs brought in seven rabbits. "

The following curious relation, in which a lurcher signalised himselfcharacteristically but fatally, we had from a sporting clergyman ofone of the midland counties. A gentleman kept a pack offive-and-twenty couple of good hounds, among which were some of thehighest-bred modern foxhounds, and some as near to the old bloodhoundas could be procured. They were high-fed and underworked; of course, somewhat riotous. One day, after a sharp run of considerable length, in which the whole field, huntsman, whipper-in, and all, were suddenlythrown out, Reynard, in running up a hedgerow, was espied by alurcher, accompanying the farmer his master. The dog instantly ran atthe chase; and being fresh, chopped upon it as he would have done upona rabbit or hare. The fox turned and fought bravely; and whilst thefarmer was contemplating with astonishment this singular combat, hewas destined to behold a spectacle still more remarkable. The houndsarrived in full cry, and with indiscriminate fury tore both thecombatants to pieces; the whipper-in, and the proprietor of the pack, and two or three gentlemen the best mounted, arriving in time to whipthe dogs off, obtain the brush, and pick up some scattered remnants ofthe limbs and carcase of the poor lurcher. 

THE BAN DOG. 

This variety, which seems almost extinct, is lighter, smaller, andmore active than the mastiff, from which he is descended by a crosswith the foxhound. He is not nearly so powerful a dog as the former, but is more fierce in his natural disposition; and from his descentpossesses a finer sense of smelling. His hair is rougher, generally ofa yellowish or sandy grey, streaked with shades of black, or brown, and semi-curled over his whole body, excepting his legs, which aresmooth. Although he generally attacks his adversary in front, like themastiff and bull-dog, it is not his invariable practice, for, he issometimes seen to seize cattle by the flank. His bite, says Bewick, iskeen and dangerous. 

Two near neighbours in the county of Suffolk, a tanner and a farmer, entertained great friendship for each other, and kept up a closeintimacy by frequent visits. The tanner had a large ban-dog forwatching his yard, which, from some unknown cause, had conceived suchan inveterate hatred to the farmer, that he could not go with safetyto call on his friend when the dog was loose, and on this account thetanner loaded him with a heavy clog, that he might not be able to flyat him. 

As the farmer and one of his ploughmen were going about the groundstogether one day, the latter espied at a distance something on astile. As they drew near, they perceived it was the tanner's dog, which, in attempting to leap the wall, had left the clog on the otherside, and was thereby almost strangled. The ploughman, knowing theenmity which the dog had to his master, proposed to despatch him byknocking him on the head; but the latter was unwilling to kill acreature which he knew was useful to his friend. Instead of doing so, he disengaged the poor beast, laid him down on the grass, watched tillhe saw him recover so completely as to be able to get up on his legs, and then pursued his walk. When the farmer returned to the stile, hesaw the dog standing by it, quite recovered, and expected an attack;but, to his great astonishment, the creature fawned upon him, andexpressed his gratitude in the most lively manner; and from that timeto the day of his death he attached himself to his benefactor, andnever could be prevailed upon to go back to his former master. 

[Illustration]

[Illustration: FEEDING HOUNDS. ]

ON THE FEEDING AND MANAGEMENT OF DOGS. 

_Gathered from various authorities by H. G. Bohn. _

A few words may not be out of place here on the feeding and managementof dogs. For all else which concerns Canine Science the reader cannotdo better than consult, among modern works, "Youatt on the Dog, ""Blaine's Canine Pathology, " the article "Dog" in the EncyclopædiaBritannica or Penny Cyclopædia, "Hutchinson on Dog-Breaking, ""Radcliffe on Fox-Hunting, " "Mayhew on the Dog, " or, "Colonel HamiltonSmith on Dogs, " forming two of the vols. Of Jardine's Naturalists'Library. 

The natural food of the dog is flesh, and it is found that those in awild state prefer it to every other kind of nutriment, but as raw meatengenders ferocity, it should not be given too freely, especially tohouse-dogs and such as are not actively exercised. The dog can subsiston many kinds of food, and it is a curious fact, that when fedentirely on flesh he will sometimes get lean; because, as has beenwell observed, it is not on what animals eat that they thrive, but onwhat they digest. The diet of sporting dogs in full work should, it issaid by some, consist of at least two-thirds of flesh, with ajudicious mixture of farinaceous vegetables; but there is greatdiversity of opinion on this subject, and in France they are fedalmost exclusively on soaked bread. Dogs, it is generally said, shouldhave free access to fresh water, and the pans be cleaned out daily;but some feeders, we are told, and it seems strange, limit the supplyof water, and substitute moistened food. A piece of rock brimstonekept in the pan will be found useful. 

Although the dog is naturally a voracious animal, he can endure hungerfor a very great length of time, and be brought by habit to subsist ona very scanty meal. In the Memoirs of the Academy of Sciences it isstated, that a bitch which was forgotten in a country-house, where shehad access to no other nourishment, lived forty days on the wool of anold mattress which she had torn to pieces and digested. 

An extraordinary instance of a similar kind occurred with a terrierbitch, named Gipsy. One day, when following her master through agrass-park near Gilmerton, it happened that she started a hare. Duringthe pursuit her master suddenly lost sight of her, and in a few daysshe was considered either killed or lost. Six weeks afterwards aperson happening to look down an old coal-pit, was surprised to hear adog howling. He lost no time in returning to the village, and havingprocured a hand-basket, let it down by a rope into the shaft; the dogimmediately leapt into it, and on being brought to the surface, provedto be Gipsy, worn to perfect skin and bone. How she had existed inthis subterranean abode, and what she had found to support her there, it is impossible to tell. 

Stag-hounds, fox-hounds, harriers, and beagles, are generally fed onoatmeal, --some add well-boiled flesh to it once in two days, --and theolder the meal is the better. Store sufficient for twelve or eighteenmonths' consumption ought, therefore, always to be kept by those whohave a pack; and before used should be well dried, and broken intogrits, but not too fine. It is best kept in bins in a granary, welltrodden down. Some persons are in the habit of using barleymealunprepared, but this is thought by many to be less nutritious. Othersare of opinion that oatmeal and barleymeal in equal proportions form apreferable food. In either case the meal should be made into porridge, with the addition of a little milk, and occasionally the kitchenoffal, such as remnants of butchers' meat, broth, and soups, theraspings and refuse of bakers' shops, or hard, coarse, sea-biscuit(sold as dog-biscuit), well soaked and boiled with bullocks' liver orhorseflesh. 

Well-boiled greens--or mangel-wurzel boiled to a jelly--are anexcellent addition to the food of all dogs, and may be given twicea-week; but they ought to be discontinued during the shooting-seasonwith pointers, setters, cockers, and greyhounds; and also during thehunting season with foxhounds, harriers, and beagles, as they are aptto render the bowels too open for hard work. 

Flesh for dogs should be first thoroughly boiled and then taken outbefore the oatmeal is added to the broth, and left to cool. Indeed, some feeders think that the food of a dog should always be perfectlycold. At any rate, care must be taken not to serve it out "too hot, "although, in general, dogs are sagacious enough not to scaldthemselves, as we see in Landseer's exquisite little picture on theopposite page. 

Dogs which are hard worked are by some said to be the better forhaving two meals a-day--a very light one of mixed food in the morningbefore going out, and a full meal, principally of flesh, on theirreturn in the evening; but, as a general rule, one good meal a day, towards the evening, is sufficient, and they may be left to pick upwhat they can: indeed the dealers never give more than one meal a-day. Bones to pick may be allowed them occasionally, but hard bones inexcess are likely to wear and damage the teeth. Nothing is better thanpaunch, tripe, or good wholesome horse or cow-flesh, boiled, and theliquor mixed well with oatmeal porridge; the quantity of each aboutequal. If horse or cow-flesh is not to be had, graves, in moderatequantity and well scalded, are a tolerable, though not very desirable, substitute. They are generally broken small, mixed with about one-halfthe quantity of oatmeal, then thoroughly soaked in boiling water, andwell stirred; or, a better way still is to boil them together likeporridge. 

Dogs, like men, require a change of food, and it has been stronglyasserted that barleymeal and oatmeal, without change, predisposes tocutaneous disease, and even produces it; therefore, a judiciousfeeder, like a good cook, will contrive to vary his bill of fare. Porridge and milk, dog-biscuit, farinaceous food, the scraps of thekitchen, the offal of bullocks or sheep, which should be well boiled, make an excellent variety;--but we would by no means recommend toofrequent a repetition of the latter food. Potatoes are also good, andalthough not so nutritious, or easy of digestion, as oatmeal, are lessheating. 

Care should be taken never to present more to a dog than he will eatwith a good appetite; and when oatmeal and barleymeal are given mixed, the former should first be boiled for twenty minutes, and then thelatter added, and boiled only for about eight or ten minutes. Thismeal should, however, never be given in the hunting season, as it istoo heating, and occasions the dogs to be perpetually drinking. Theirfood ought, as a general rule, to be given to them pretty thick, asthin porridge does not stay the stomach so well. The feeding-troughsfor hounds should be sufficiently wide at the bottom and carefullycleaned out and scalded with hot water every second day. 

During the hunting season hounds should have sulphur mixed up withtheir mess once a-week, in the proportion of 3 drachms to each. At theend of the season the same quantity of sulphur should be given, withthe addition of 1½ drachms of antimony. After a hard day's work a mealof horse-flesh may be given them, as fresh-killed as possible, orbullocks' paunches or sheeps' trotters, all of which should be wellboiled. 

_Greyhounds_ should be fed principally on animal food, such as sheeps'trotters or neats' feet, boiled or stewed down and mixed with bread, and given moderately in the morning and afternoon, (the dog neverbeing allowed on any occasion to eat a great quantity at once, ) or onother hand meat, as it will enlarge and strengthen the muscular fibrewithout increasing the cellular tissue and adipose substance, whichhas an invariable tendency to affect their breathing. The butchers'meat should be of the best quality, and not over-fat, as greasysubstances of all kinds are apt to render the body gross and the skindiseased. After they have been coursed they should be well brushed, alittle oil being used in the operation. 

The kennels of greyhounds should be kept comfortably warm and dry, befrequently replenished with dry and clean straw, and properlyventilated. Indeed, nothing is more essential to the health andefficiency of all dogs than pure air and cleanliness. Their bedsshould, if possible, be placed on a wooden bench, or at least on somedry position. On attention to cleanliness depends, in some degree, thedog's exquisite sense of smelling; for, if accustomed to strong ordisagreeable effluvia, he will be but ill-adapted to trace the fall ofa deer, or scent of a fox. Indeed, even animal food too freely givenis said to have a prejudicial effect upon the nose of a sporting dog. 

A dog employed in watching premises should not be needlessly exposedto the damp or cutting night winds; but placed in as dry and sheltereda situation as possible. If kept in the dwelling-house he should havea place appropriated to his night's rest; this may be an open box, ora basket, with a piece of carpet or blanket, or clean straw at thebottom: if either of the former it should be often beaten, to free itfrom fleas or nits, which soon infest it, and frequently washed anddried. 

Damp is exceedingly injurious to dogs, and is very likely to producediseased lungs, rheumatism, and lameness in the shoulder and limbs. 

To the preceding instructions, for which the compiler is chieflyindebted to the works of Capt. Thomas Brown, Youatt, and Blaine, andto the practical information obtained from Mr. Herring of the NewRoad, and Mr. William George, an extensive dog-fancier at Kensall NewTown, may be appropriately subjoined a lively chapter from the recentwork of Mr. Francis Butler, a leading American authority on thesubject. 

 * * * * *

"It is more important to understand the management of a dog, than tobe possessed of a thousand nominal remedies for the cure of hisvarious ailments; inasmuch as the antidote is at all times preferableto the cure. 

"I shall first throw out a few hints on the Management of Pets. Whilstmany are sacrificed for lack of necessary attendance, there arethousands who perish prematurely from overdoses of kindness. Delicatebreeds of dogs certainly require great care and attention in rearing;but overstrained tenderness is often more dangerous than culpableneglect. The dear little creature that is allowed to lay under thestove, is stuffed with delicacies two or three times a-day, and isnever allowed to breathe the fresh air, except under a cloudless sky, is more subject to colds, fits, rheumatism, sore eyes and ears, worms, &c. , than the worthless mongrel which was raised on the street, neglected and despised. The tenderly-nursed pet is affected by everychange of atmosphere, and subjected to a variety of diseases unknownto the dog that has been hardened from his birth. I ask you, then, neither to stuff nor starve; neither to chill nor burn. 

"A house-pet should always have a sleeping-place allotted to him, warmand comfortable, not near the fire, nor in the damp. Anything round isbest for an animal to lay in; such as a tastefully ornamented box. Incold weather it should not be larger than to contain him comfortably. It is best for the following reasons: he may keep himself perfectlywarm, and his bed may be made exactly to fit him; it also takes upless available space than any other shape. He should never be fed tothe full; neither excited to eat when he appears disinclined. Lack ofappetite, so common to pampered favourites, is generally the result ofan overloaded stomach and disordered digestion. This is easily curedby medicine, but more safely and simply without it. Fast him fortwenty-four hours; after which, keep him on half his ordinaryallowance. If this agrees with him, and he keeps in fair condition, continue the regimen. 

"Nursing in the lap is injurious; not in itself, but the animal isthereby subjected to constant chills, in emerging from a snoozywarmth to a cold carpet or chilly bed. A dog accustomed to the lap isalways shivering after it, and renders himself quite troublesome byhis importunate addresses. A moderate share of nursing is well enough, but should be indulged in only as an occasional treat. Great careshould be taken in the washing of delicate dogs. When this operationis performed, they should be rubbed perfectly dry; after which theyshould be covered, and remain so till the shivering has completelysubsided. [T] The water should be only blood-warm; it is far betterthan hot, and not so likely to give the animal cold. Injudiciouswashing and bad drying are productive of running sore eyes, moreespecially visible in white poodles, where the hair is long andwoolly, retaining the moisture. 

"Once a fortnight is often enough to wash any dog but a white one. Washing has very little effect in the destruction of vermin. Fleas canlive some time under water; which I have often thought only makes thembite the harder and stick the closer, when reanimated from theirtemporary torpidity. If 'Butler's Mange Liniment and FleaExterminator' cannot be obtained, the animal may be well sodden withsoft soap and washed about ten minutes after. This cannot be done withsafety, except in warm weather. In cold weather, the comb may be usedimmediately after the application of the soap, as the fleas will thenbe too stupid to effect their escape. 'Butler's Liniment' destroys allvermin instantaneously, without risk of injuring the animal; and thequadruped may be rinsed one minute after. No flea will remain alive;the skin will be thoroughly cleansed, and the coat beautified. Dogsshould never be allowed to suffer the torment imposed on them by thesedetestable vermin. If the owners could only realise the importance ofridding them of these ever-noisome pests, there would be far less ofsnappishness, mange, fits, &c. I have seen animals literally worriedto death by fleas, perfectly exhausted from incessant irritation, atlast worn to a skeleton, and gradually extinguished by a creepingconsumption. Besides, who (for his own personal comfort), would notrid his immediate vicinity of a worthless mob of blood-suckersawaiting the first favourable opportunity of regaling themselves onhuman blood? If your dog lie on straw, burn it once a week, as fleasharbour and propagate in the tubes of the straw. If the bed be carpet, or anything similar, let it be often cleansed or changed. Verminrevel in filth, and their extirpation depends mainly on cleanliness. 

"By attending to the general health of a dog, much disease may beavoided; indeed, this is far more essential than prescriptions for acure. It is very easy to carry off a slight indisposition by gentlepurgatives and a reformed diet: whilst confirmed disease is oftendifficult to combat, as few of the canine race can have the advantageswhich are ofttimes essential to their restoration. The eyes, the nose, the gums, the hair, the breath, should be carefully noted. The eyesmay be red or pale, sunken or protruded; the nose may be hot, or dry, or matted with dirt; the gums may be pale, &c. It will require butlittle experience to discover a disorganisation, which may be easilydetected by him who has noticed the healthful appearance of thedifferent parts and their variation under indisposition. 

"If you are in the habit of keeping your dog on the chain, let him atleast run a few minutes every day. If he be kept indoors, he shouldalso be allowed a little daily exercise outside. Change of air[U] anddiet will sometimes renovate when all remedies fail: a change fromcity to country, from greasy meat to fresh milk, from a confined yardto the green fields, will generally recruit him without the aid ofmedicine. Nature (to whom physicians are so deeply indebted for somany wonderful restorations), often effects a cure unaided, whichmight have defied the efforts of Apothecaries' Hall. 

"In summer, particularly, be careful to provide a supply of freshwater and a cool shelter from the sun. Never take your dog out duringthe intense heat of the day; this is very apt to produce fits, oftenresulting in sudden death. Early in the morning is preferable forsummer exercise. 

"The kennel should be located in a shady spot during the summer; inwinter it should be sheltered from the wind, and so placed as toenable the dog to enjoy the sunshine at will. Above all things, neverchain a dog where he cannot screen himself from the sun's rays. Hemust have the option of sunshine or shade. He should not be allowed todrink water that has been standing in the sun, or is otherwisedamaged. If you should chance to forget to feed him for forty-eighthours, he would not run as much risk of injury, as during three hoursof thirst in hot weather. There should be a piece of joist under eachend of the dog-house, to keep it off the ground, in order to avoiddampness. In summer an excavation, two or three feet in depth, shouldbe made under it, and left open at both ends, that the animal may havea cool retreat during the heat. Those who do not object to a triflingexpense, may have the house posted on a large paving-stone, with anexcavation under it, as before recommended. All burrowing animals seekthe earth in hot weather. Everything on the surface is heated; theirown instinct dictates the most reasonable method of shelteringthemselves from the heat, at the same time absorbing the coolexhalations from the ground. In southern climates, especially, thismethod is all important. In this manner I have kept dogs from thepolar regions, in comparative comfort, whilst many native-born andneglected have been scalded into fits, paralysis, rabies, orhydrophobia. 

"In the hot season, with young dogs, raw meat should be avoided, except it be quite fresh, and then they should not be over-fed, especially if debarred of abundant exercise, and excluded from theirown natural medicine, grass. A dog will often thrive better on rawmeat than on any other food, and will grow larger; but he should befed with discretion, and his health attended to, should his dietvisibly disagree with him. [V] He will grow fatter and be more healthyon moderate meals than if overgorged. The better plan is to ascertainhis average consumption, and then allow him a little less. Keep hisdigestion in good order, and disease will rarely trouble him. His coatand ribs will generally indicate whether he be sufficiently cared for, whether he be sick or sound in his digestive organs; feed him alwaysin the same place, and at the same hour: once a day is sufficient, ifhe be over six months old. By being fed only once a day he is lesschoice, and will consume what he might refuse, if his appetite weredulled by a previous meal. 

"Should you require your dog to be watchful at night, feed him in themorning; if you would have him quiet at night, feed him late, anddon't leave him bones to gnaw. Dogs are pretty quiet, during thedigestive process, when left to themselves, and should not have muchexercise after a heavy meal. They should only be lightly fed beforetraining-lessons, or on sporting days; on the latter occasions alittle refreshment may be administered as occasion may require. Thosekept in-doors should be allowed to run a little after meals, when theygenerally require an evacuation. 

"If a dog be regularly exercised he will seldom even soil around hiskennel, and a healthy house pet is rarely troublesome, except aftereating. If a dog be uncleanly in the house, he should decidedly bebroken of it, although it would be useless to correct him unless hehas a fair opportunity of avoiding it. He should be invariably takento the spot, be sufficiently twigged there, and unceremoniouslyscolded into the yard. The punishment will be far more justlyadministered if the animal be let out at regular intervals; this beingdone he will not attempt to infringe the law, except in cases of direnecessity. 

"I am satisfied as a general rule, that a well-amalgamated mixture ofanimal and vegetable is the most healthful diet for dogs of all ages, breeds, and conditions. Dogs living in the house should on no accountbe fed on raw meat, as it gives them a very offensive smell, and is inother respects very unsuitable. "

[Illustration]

FOOTNOTES:

[A] Daniel's "Rural Sports. "

[B] Daniel's "Rural Sports. "

[C] Thornton's "Instincts. "

[D] "Sportsman's Cabinet. "

[E] Ballet, in his "Dissertations sur la Mythologie Française, " showsthat this popular story of the dog of Montargis is much older than thetime of Charles V. ; and that Albericus, an old monkish chronicler, records it as happening in the reign of Charlemagne, anno 780. 

[F] See the entire poem in Tomkins' "Beauties of English Poetry. "18mo. 1847. 

[G] "I fear this is a sad geological anachronism; however, I cannotbut hope that the Irish wolf-dog will yet be found in some cavern, associated with the prototypes of Ireland's earliest heroes whopeopled the land soon after it emerged from the deep, 'Great, glorious, and free, First flower of the earth and first gem of the sea. '"

[H] O'Keefe, "Wicklow Gold Mines. "

[I] A similar instance of canine intelligence will be found in p. 51of the present volume. 

[J] "The Sportsman's Cabinet. "

[K] Tenbeia portus est Cambriæ meridionalis, ubi Belgarum colonis arege, ut fertur, Henrico primo locata est. Horum posteri acircumjacente Celticæ originis populo lingua etiam nunc omninodiscrepant. 

[L] Infinitivo, quem vocant, hoc in ier desinente solus credo, inter, melioris notæ, quos habemus, elegorum scriptores usus est Catullus:sed qualis ille Poeta! sed quantus in omni genere Latini carminis etartifex elegantiæ et magister!

[M] His master's pocket-book, with which Tippo, the only livingcreature saved from the wreck, came ashore. 

[N] See Bewick's "Quadrupeds, " p. 306, 1st ed. 

[O] A celebrated portrait painter, and Secretary to the ScottishAcademy of Painting. This gentleman also excelled in the portraits ofanimals. 

[P] "Sometimes the members or domestics of the convent have beensufferers in their efforts to save others. On the 17th of December, 1825, three domestics of the convent with two dogs descended to thevacherie, on the Piedmontese side of the mountain, and were returningwith a traveller, when an avalanche overwhelmed them. All perishedexcept one of the dogs, which escaped by its prodigious strength, after having been thrown over and over. Of the poor victims, none werefound until the snow of the avalanche had melted in the returningsummer, when the first was discovered on the 4th of June, and the laston the 7th of July. "

[Q] Mrs. Grosvenor, now of Richmond, Surrey. 

[R] For other instances of speaking dogs see _ante_, p. 49. 

[S] In p. 147 a similar anecdote has been recorded of a Newfoundlanddog and a spaniel; and in p. 221 an instance is given of the revengetaken by a Colley on a tailor's dog. 

[T] Or if the weather be fine and warm they may run out and drythemselves. --Ed. 

[U] Sea-air, however, especially during long sea-voyages, perhaps inconnexion with salt meat, has been known to produce the distemper indogs. --Ed. 

[V] House-dogs fed on raw meat, bones, and liver, soon becomeoffensive neighbours; the more so in proportion to their want ofoutdoor exercise. --Ed. 

INDEX. 

 PAGE

 BAN DOG 479 BEAGLE 438 BLOODHOUND 250 BULL DOG 454 BULL-DOG TERRIER 16

 COACH DOG 459 COLLEY (SCOTCH) 185 CUR DOG 466

 DALMATIAN 459 DANISH DOG 463 DEER-HOUND 119

 ESQUIMAUX DOG 353

 FOXHOUND 421

 GREYHOUND 367 GREYHOUND (PERSIAN) 380

 LURCHER 475

 MASTIFF 440 MÂTIN (FRENCH) 465

 NEWFOUNDLAND DOG 67, 133

 OTTER TERRIER 361

 POINTER 383 POODLE 331 PUG DOG 412

 ST. BERNARD DOG 240 SETTER 400 SHEPHERD'S DOG 185 SPANIEL 77, 300 STAG-HOUND 116

 TERRIER 20, 264 TURNSPIT 418

 WATER SPANIEL 300 WOLF DOG (IRISH AND HIGHLAND) 85, 107

London:--Printed by G. BARCLAY, Castle St. Leicester Sq.