OF SELBORNE. 119 



are in motion their tails are curved high 

 over their backs like those of some hounds, 

 and have a bare place each on the outside 

 from the tip midway, that does not seem 

 to be matter of accident, but somewhat sin- 

 gular. Their eyes are jet-black, small, and 

 piercing; the insides of their lips and 

 mouths of the same colour, and their 

 tongues blue. The bitch has a dew-claw 

 on each hind leg; the dog has none. When 

 taken out into a field the bitch showed 

 some disposition for hunting, and dwelt on 

 the scent of a covey of partridges till she 

 sprung them, giving her tongue all the 

 time. The dogs in South America are dumb ; 

 but these bark much in a short thick man- 

 ner, like foxes ; and have a surly, savage 

 demeanor like their ancestors, which are 

 not domesticated, but bred up in sties, 

 where they are fed for the table with rice- 

 meal and other farinaceous food. These 

 dogs, having been taken on board as soon 

 as weaned, could not learn much from their 

 dam ; yet they did not relish flesh when 

 they came to England. In the islands of 



