298 THE CUR DOG. 
How that wonderful Dog had performed this task, not even his master could conceive. 
It may be that the sheep had been accustomed to place themselves under the guidance 
of the Dog, though they might have fled from the presence of the shepherd ; and that 
when they felt themselves bewildered in the darkness they were quite willing to entrust 
themselves to their well-known friend and guardian. 
The memory of the Shepherd’s Dog is singularly tenacious, as may appear from the 
fact that one of these Dogs, when assisting his master, for the first time, in conducting 
some sheep from W estmoreland to London, experienced very great difficulty in euiding 
his charge among the many cross-roads and bye ways that intersected their route. But on 
the next journey he found but little hindrance, as he was able to remember the points 
which had caused him so much trouble on his former expedition, and to profit by the 
experience which he had then gained. 
The Drover’s Doc is generally produced from the sheep-dog and the mastiff or fox- 
hound, and sometimes from the sheep-dog and the greyhound or pointer; the peculiar 
mixtures being employed to suit the different localities in which the Dog is intended to 
exercise its powers. In some places the Drover’s Dog is comparatively small, because 
the sheep are small, docile, and not very active. But when the sheep are large, agile, and 
vigorous, and can run over a large extent of ground, a much larger and more powerful 
animal is needed, in order to cope with the extended powers of the sheep which are 
committed to its guardianship. 
Although the Drover’s Dog may be entrusted with the entire charge of the flock, 
its rightful vocation is the conveyance of the sheep from place to place. It will often 
learn its business so thoroughly, that it will conduct a flock of sheep or a herd of cattle to 
the destined point, and then deliver up its charge to the person who is appointed to 
receive them. Not the least extraordinary part of its performance is, that it will 
conduct its own flock through the midst of other sheep without permitting a single 
sheep under its charge to escape, or allowing a single stranger to mix with its own 
floek 
Such abilities as these can be applied to wrong purposes as well as to good ones, and 
there is a well-known story of a drover who was accustomed to steal sheep through the 
help of his Dog. His plan was to indicate, by some expressive gesture which the Dog 
well understood, the particular sheep which he wished to be added to his own flock, and 
then to send his flock forward under the guardianship of the Dog, while he remained 
with his companions at the public-house bar. The clever animal would then so craftily 
intermingle the two flocks that it contrived to entice the coveted sheep into its own flock, 
and then would drive them forwards, carrying off the stolen sheep among the number, 
If the stratagem were not discovered, the owner of the Dog speedily changed the marks 
on the sheep, and thus merged them with his own legitimate property. If the fraud were 
detected, it was set down as an excusable mistake of the Dog, the stolen animals were 
restored, and the real thief escaped punishment. However, detection came at last, as it 
always does, sooner or later. 
The true Cur Doc is produced from the sheep-dog and the terrier, and is a most useful 
animal to the class of persons among whom it is generally found. It is rather apt to be 
petulant in its temper, and is singularly suspicious of strangers ; so that although it is 
rather an unpleasant neighbour by reason of its perpetually noisy tongue, it is of the 
greatest service to the person to whom it belongs. It is an admirable house- dog, and 
specially honest, being capable of restraining its natural instincts, and of ouarding its 
owner's provisions, even though it may be almost perishing with hunger. 
The Cur is the acknowledged pest of the passing traveller, especially if he be mounted, 
or is driving, as it rushes out of its house at the sound-of the strange footstep, and follows 
the supposed intruder with yelps and snaps until it flatters itself that it has completely 
put the enemy to flight. About the house the Cur is as useful as is the colley among the 
hills, for it is as ready to comprehend and execute the wishes of its master at home as is 
the sheep-dog on the hills. Indeed, if the two Dogs were to change places for a day or 
