872 



Rural School Leaflet. 



i^a^^i . 



recognizing friend and foe. The damp, soft skin that covers the nose 

 has in its dampness the conditions for carrying the scent to the wide 

 nostrils, which are situated at the most forward part of the face, and thus 

 may be lifted in any direction to receive its marvelous impressions, so 

 completely beyond our comprehension. Think of being able to scent 

 the track of a fox made several hours previously! Not only to scent it 

 but to follow by scent for many miles without ever having a glimpse of 

 the fleeing foe! In fact, while running the dog's attention seems to be 

 focused entirely upon the sense of smell, for I have seen hounds pass 

 within a few rods to the windward of a fox they were chasing, without 

 observing him at all. When the nose of any of the moist-nosed beasts, 



such as cattle and 

 dogs, becomes dry it 

 is a sign of illness. 

 A light fall of damp 

 snow gives the dog 

 the best conditions 

 for following a track 

 by scent. 



A hound when on 

 the trail will run 

 until exhausted. 

 There are many au- 

 thentic observations 

 which show that 

 hounds have fol- 

 lowed a fox for 

 twenty-four hours 

 without food and 

 probably with little 

 rest. 

 The dog's weapons for battle, like those of the wolf, are his tushes. With 

 these he holds and tears his prey; with them he seizes the woodchuck or 

 other small animal through the back and shakes the life out. In fighting 

 a larger animal the dog leaps against it and often incidentally tears its 

 flesh with his strong claws; but he does not strike a blow with his foot, 

 like the cat, nor can he hold his quarry with it. 



Dog's teeth are especially fitted for their work. The incisors are small 

 and sharp; the canine teeth or tushes are very long, but there are bare 

 spaces on the jaws so that they are able to cross past each other; the 

 molar teeth are not fitted for grinding, like the teeth of a cow, but are 



Fig. 8. — Grey wolf 



