CHAMBERS'S INFORMATION FOR THE PEOPLE. 



in his make, and has half-pricked ears, and his 

 tail is rather short, and slightly feathered beneath. 

 He is a trusty and useful servant to the farmer 

 and grazier, and is chiefly employed in driving 

 cattle; and being larger and stronger than the 

 shepherd's dog, from which he is sprung, he is 

 better qualified for the grazier and farmer. A 

 cross between this and the true shepherd's dog 

 has been found to be extremely useful on the 

 sheep-runs of Australia. 



Section 5. Water-dogs, which delight in swimming, having their 

 feet in general semi-webbed. 



The Pomeranian, or Wolf-dog, has the hair on 

 the head, feet, and ears short ; but it is long and 

 silky on the body and tail, which last is curled up 

 in a spiral form. His intelligence is nearly equal 

 to that of the shepherd's dog, but he is much less 

 to be trusted. 



The Siberian Dog has much the appearance of 

 the Pomeranian dog, except that he is covered 

 with long hair, even on the head and paws. In 

 their native country, four of these dogs are 

 attached by pairs to a sledge, and in front of 

 chem is placed a leader, on the proper training of 

 which much of the useful services of the others 

 depends. These sledges are just large enough to 

 contain one person, who directs the team with his 

 voice, partially assisted by a stick. The reins are 

 fastened to the dogs' necks by a collar. Thus 

 yoked, they have been known to drag a sledge 

 from seventy to eighty miles in a day ; and so 

 powerful is their scent, that they contrive to keep 

 on the beaten track by that means alone, even 

 though it be obliterated by fallen snow. 



Closely allied to the preceding are the Iceland, 

 Esquimaux, and Hare-Indian Dogs. 



The Newfoundland Dog. This beautiful and 

 intelligent dog is remarkable for the symmetry of 

 his form and the acuteness of his understanding. 

 He measures, from the tip of the nose to the point 

 of the tail, six feet and a half, the length of the 

 tail itself being two feet ; from the one fore-foot 

 to the other, over the shoulders, five feet eight 

 inches ; the girth behind the shoulders, three feet 

 four inches ; the length of his head is fourteen 

 inches. He has webbed feet, in consequence of 

 which he is a dexterous swimmer. His hair is 

 long, flowing, and slightly curled. The docility 

 of the Newfoundland dog is very great ; there 

 are innumerable most striking anecdotes of his 

 sagacity and benevolence, particularly as shewn 

 in his saving persons from drowning. Intelli- 

 gent and sagacious as the Newfoundland dog 

 undoubtedly is, there are certain occasions on 

 which he is not to be trusted; and if sharply 

 reproved or punished, he sometimes resists the 

 lash even of his master. 



The Large Water-spaniel is about the size of 

 the English setter, but of a stronger make. His 

 face is smooth, as also the front of his legs ; while 

 the rest of his body is covered with small crisped 

 curls, usually of a dark liver-brown colour. This 

 dog is very valuable in the sport of shooting wild- 

 fowl. 



The Small Water-spaniel, or Poodle, is a breed 

 between the large water-dog and the springer ; he 

 is thickly covered with fine hair, all of which is in 

 distinct small curls, more like an effort of art than 

 of nature. It is one of the most active of dogs. 



692 



Its general colour is white, and sometimes it has 

 various black patches. 



Section 6. Fowlers, or dogs whose inclination is to chase and 

 point birds, and hunt singly by the scent. 



The Springer is shaped much like the English 

 setter, but shorter in the body and legs in propor 

 tion to his size, being about two-fifths less thai 

 that dog ; the hair is long and shaggy, the ears 

 very long and pendulous, and covered with long 

 waved hairs. 



The Cocker is about a third less than the 

 springer, and like it in all respects. It is used 

 as well as that variety for raising woodcocks and 

 snipes, in which exercise they are both very expert 

 and hardy. 



The King Charles's Spaniel is still less than the 

 cocker, and distinguished by the very great length 

 of his ears. Its hair is silky ; and this, with its 

 gentleness and small size, has rendered it a 

 favourite pet of ladies. They are sold at a high 

 price. 



The Alpine Spaniel, or Great St Bernard Dog, 

 exceeds other varieties of the spaniel in size 

 and beauty. Its usual height is two feet at the 

 shoulders ; and the length from the nose to the 

 tip of the tail is six feet. Two of these dogs are 

 sent out from the monastery of the Great St 

 Bernard, situated among the Alps of Switzerland, 

 to scour the mountains during snow-storms, in 

 search of lost or wearied travellers the one with 

 a warm cloak fastened to his back, and the other 

 with a basket tied round his neck, containing a 

 bottle with some cordial, and bread. In this 

 employment they shew great judgment, and seem 

 perfectly to understand their mission. 



The English Setter is a mixed breed between 

 the water-spaniel, Spanish pointer, and the 

 springer. He ranks highly as a sporting-dog. 

 He is one of the most beautiful, lively, active, and 

 hardy of dogs. 



The Spanish Pointer is the stock from which 

 the English pointer has sprung. He is one of the 

 most staunch of all dogs used in the sports of the 

 field, although he is considered too heavy for the 

 present improved mode of sporting, and has now 

 nearly become extinct in Great Britain. 



The English Pointer was obtained by a cross 



Fig. 2. Newfoundland Scotch Terrier English 

 Pointer Cocker. 



of the Spanish pointer and foxhound, and is 

 unrivalled for the rapidity of his movements ir 



