126 DOG STORIES 



came with his master to call for me, and 

 coiled himself on the hearthrug while we 

 talked. Turning himself round in the 

 intervals of slumber, his eye caught an oil- 

 painting just over his head (a life-size half- 

 length of a gentleman). He immediately 

 sat up, showed his teeth, and growled not 

 once, but continually as both angry and 

 mortified that neither eyes nor nose had 

 given him notice of the arrival of a 

 stranger! The next instance was similar, 

 except that the chief actor was a young, 

 intelligent collie, who, on the sudden dis- 

 covery of a man looking at him from the 

 wall, barked long and furiously. In both 

 instances, after their excitement had sub- 

 sided, I led the dogs to look at another 

 picture similar in size, and also of a gentle- 

 man, but neither of them would take the 

 smallest notice of it. I need only add that 

 the picture which the dogs appreciated was 

 painted by Sir Henry Raeburn the other 

 was not. Might not a few sagacious canine 

 members be a useful addition to the Royal 

 Academy Hanging Committee ? 



B. THOMSON. 



