270 CARNIVORA. 



stopped and the boy attempted to pass the house, the dog threw the boy 

 down, and seizing a copy took it to his home. 



The affection and devotion of the dog is proverbial, but the extent to 

 which these qualities are developed depends as much on the master as on 

 the dog. They are seen most plainly in those anmials which have been 

 not the mere toys or playthings, but the fellow-workers and constant 

 companions of their " guide, philosopher, and friend." There is more 

 than one well authenticated instance of a shepherd's dog accompanying 

 the coffin of its departed friend to the grave and remaining there till its 

 death, either dying of hunger or leaving the spot only long enough to 

 get some food. 



Suicides by dogs are not unknown. An old collie in Caithness, 

 troubled with the infirmities of age, including deafness and the loss of 

 teeth, committed suicide by drowning. A Newfoundland dog had his 

 feelings wounded by being scolded. Soon after he was found alive, but 

 with his head partly submerged in a ditch. He was dragged out ; but 

 he refused to eat or drink, and before long he was found in the same ditch 

 dead. 



Numerous Instances are known of dogs calling on their friends to 

 assist them or avenge them. " Liege" was the favorite of his owner. Dr. 

 Van Tuyl, of Dayton, Ohio. One day he tackled a large yellow dog. 

 With ears torn and bleeding, and smarting from defeat, he ran through 

 the house and jumped a fence into an adjoining yard where another dog 

 was quartered. They held some sort of a council, and half a minute 

 later they both cleared the fence and ran into the street, and there, while 

 Liege looked on, his friend gave the yellow dog a wholesome defeat. 



We conclude this chapter with a few remarks on that most terrible 

 of all diseases, rabies or hydrophobia. The first symptom of this com- 

 plaint is an entire change of manner in the animal. The affectionate, 

 caressing dog becomes suddenly cross, shy, and snappish ; retreating 

 from the touch of the friendly hand as if it were the hand of a stranger. 

 His appetite becomes depraved, and forsaking his ordinary food, he 

 eagerly swallows pieces of stick, straws, or any other innutritions sub- 

 stances that may lie in his way. He is restless, unable to remain in the 

 same position for two seconds together, and snaps at imaginary objects ; 

 and he ever and anon starts up and listens eagerly to imaginary sounds. 

 Generally he utters at intervals a wild howl, but in some cases the dog 

 •■mains perfectly sileni during the whole of his illness, and is then said 



