WATER SPANIEL.— Canis familiaris. 
It is a very small animal, as a really fine specimen ought not to exceed six or seven 
pounds in weight. Some of the most valuable King Charles Spaniels weigh as little as 
five pounds, or even less. These little creatures have been trained to search for and put 
up game after the manner of their larger relatives, the springers and cockers, but they 
sannot endure severe exercise, or long-continued exertion, and ought only to be employed 
on very limited territory. 
When rightly managed, it is a most amusing companion, and picks wp accomplish- 
ments with great readiness. It ean be trained to perform many pretty tricks, and 
sometimes is so appreciative of its human playfellows that it will ee their games. 
I knew one of these animals which would play at that popular boy’s game, called 
“touch,” as correctly as any of the boys who used to joi in the game, and on account of 
its small size and great agility was a more formidable opponent than any of the human 
players. The same Dog carried on a perpetual playful feud with the cat, each seeking for 
an opportunity of dealing a blow and of getting away as fast as possible. It was most 
absurd to see the way in which the Doe would hide itself behind a door-step, a scraper, a 
large stone, or under a thick shrub, and panting with eager expectation, watch the cat 
Ww alking unsuspiciously towards its ambush. As the cat passed, out shot the Dog, tumbled 
pussy over, and made off at the top of its speed, pursued by the cat in hot haste, all 
anxious to avenge herself of the defeat. In these chases, the cat always used to run on 
three legs, holding one paw from the ground as if to preserve its strength in readiness 
for a severe apphe cation to the Doo’s ears. 
“ Prince,” for that was the name of this clever little animal, was an accomplished 
bird’s-nester, seldom permitting a too-confiding blackbird or thrush to build its hymeneal 
home in the neighbourhood without robbing it of its variegated contents. When the Dog 
first discovered how palatable an article of diet was a blackbird’s ego, he used to push his 
nose into the nest and crush the eges with his teeth, or would try to scrape them out with 
his paw. In both these methods, he wasted a considerable portion of the lquid contents 
of the egos, and after a while invented a much better mode of action. Whenever he 
