474 Scientific Intelligence. [Dec. 



to be particularly fond ; nor was he ever known, in any one 

 instance, to disagree with the cats of the house, whom he treated 

 rather with a kind of dignified condescension. But the dog, 

 unless closely watched, would run after sheep wherever he could 

 trace them, even drive them from high cliffs into the water, and 

 jump in after them ; not, however, without first considering the 

 elevation of the cliff; for, if he thought it too great, he would 

 run down and take the nearest more convenient place to continue 

 his pursuit. The owner of that dog had, at one time, some 

 domesticated wild geese, one of which would frequently follow 

 him in his morning walks, side by side with Jowler: they seemed 

 to live together on the best terms. Unfortunately the servant 

 neglected one night to confine them, according to custom ; the 

 next morning the feathers of the favourite goose were found 

 scattered in a small field adjoining to the grounds. The dog 

 was soon after found concealed in a corner of the wood-yard, 

 and, on his master looking at him, 'exhibited evident signs of 

 conscious guilt : his master took him to the field, and pointed 

 out to him the feathers : the dog, staring at him, uttered a loud 

 growl, and ran away with all the speed of which he was capable ; 

 nor could he bear his master's sight for some days afterwards. 

 At another time, the author had three young sheep, for whom, 

 in the day-time the dog seemed to affect the utmost indifference : 

 the servant neglected one evening to take them into their shed, 

 and to confine the dog ; and the next morning the sheep were 

 found stretched in the back yard lifeless, and without any other 

 mark of violence than a small wound in the throat, from which 

 the dog had sucked their blood. It is a remarkable circumstance 

 that the Newfoundland dog, when pursuing a flock of sheep, 

 will single out one of them, and if not prevented, which is a 

 matter of considerable difficulty, will never leave off the pursuit 

 until he has mastered his intended victim, always aiming at the 

 throat ; and after having sucked the blood, has never been 

 known to touch the carcase." 



X. Spontaneous Ptyalism accompanied by a diminished Secre- 

 tion of Urine. By Dr. Prout. 



The subject of this singular case was a woman upwards of 

 60 years of age. The ptyalism was constant and excessive, 

 amounting to several pints in the course of the day, while the urine 

 was reduced to a few ounces. Its source appeared to be the 

 whole of the apparatus destined to secrete saliva. The woman 

 had lost her appetite, and her strength appeared reduced, but 

 in other respects nothing remarkable was observed. 



The taste of the fluid was described as urinous. It was opales- 

 cent, very slightly ropy, and foamed when agitated. Its specific 

 gravity was 1005 - 5. It restored the blue colour to reddened 

 litmus paper, and faintly reddened turmeric paper. Hence it 

 contained a free alkali, to which was doubtless owing the urinous 

 taste above-mentioned. 



