138 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. 



would not permit him to do; but, in consideration of the 

 alarm of the women, he consented to leave with them a 

 large mastiff dog. In the night the women were disturbed 

 by the uneasiness of the dog, and heard a noise apparently 

 like an attempt to force an entrance into the premises, upon 

 which they escaped by the back-door, and ran to a neigh- 

 bouring house, which happened to be a blacksmith's shop. 

 They knocked at the door, and were answered from within 

 by the smith's wife. She said her husband was absent, but 

 that she was willing to accompany the terrified women to 

 their home. On reaching the house, they heard a savage 

 but half-stifled growling from the dog. On entering they saw 

 the body of a man hanging half in and half out of their 

 little window, whom the dog had seized by the throat, and 

 was still worrying. On examination, the man proved to be 

 their neighbour the blacksmith, dreadfully torn about the throat, 

 and quite dead." 



The Bull- The Bull-dog (Cants Anglicus), is said to be 

 Dog. an original English breed, and Colonel Smith 

 suggests that this dog rather than the mastiff was the one 

 which flourished in England hi Roman times. Not indeed 

 the breed as it at present exists, but "one little inferior to 

 the mastiff," "but with the peculiar features of the bull form 

 more strongly marked." "The bull-dog," says Colonel Smith, 

 "differs from all others, even from the mastiff, in giving no 

 warning of his attack by his barking, he grapples his oppo- 

 nents without in the least estimating their comparative weight 

 and powers. We have seen one pinning an American Bison 

 and holding his nose down till the animal gradually brought 

 forward its hind feet and crushing the dog to death tore his 

 muzzle out of the fangs, most dreadfully mangled. We have 

 known another hallooed on to attack a disabled eagle; the 

 bird unable to escape, threw himself on the back, and as the 

 dog sprang at his throat, struck him with his claws, one of 

 which penetrating the skull, killed him instantly, and caused 



