FRENCH AND MEXICAN SHEEP DOGS. 401 



commonly white, sometimes inclined to a reddish brown, and 

 about the size of our Newfoundland dog. His sharp nose, 

 short erect ears, shaggy coat, and bushy tail give him much 

 the appearance of a wolf; indeed, so great is the resemblance, 

 that 1 have known a Hungarian gentleman mistake a wolf for 

 one of his own dogs. Except to their masters, they are so 

 savage that it is unsafe for a stranger to enter the court - yard 

 of a Hungarian cottage without arms. I speak from experi- 

 ence ; for as I was walking through the yard of a post-house, 

 where some of these dogs were lying about, apparently 

 asleep, one of them crept after me, and inflicted a severe 

 wound on my leg, of which I still bear the marks. Before 

 I could turn round, the dog was already far off; for, like the 

 wolf, they bite by snapping, but never hang to the object like 

 the bull -dog or mastiff. Their sagacity in driving and 

 guarding the sheep and cattle, and their courage in protecting 

 them from wolves and robbers, are highly praised ; and the 

 shepherd is so well aware of the value of a good one, that 

 it is difficult to induce him to part with it." 



I have little doubt that the Hungarian dogs above de- 

 scribed are the descendants of the Spanish ones, introduced 

 into Hungary with the Merino sheep, though possibly they 

 may be somewhat crossed by inter-breeding with the dogs 

 of the country. 



FRENCH SHEEP DOG. Professor Grognier gives the 

 following account of this breed : " The Shepherd's Dog, the 

 least removed from the natural type of the dog, is of a middle 

 size ; his ears short and straight ; the hair long, principally on 

 the tail, and of a dark color ; the tail is carried horizontally 

 or a little elevated. He is very indifferent to caresses, 

 possessed of much intelligence and activity to discharge the 

 duties was designed. In one or other of its varieties it is 

 found in every part of France. Sometimes there is but a 

 single breed, in others there are several varieties. It lives 

 and maintains its proper characteristics, while other races 

 often degenerate. Everywhere it preserves its proper dis- 

 tinguishing type. It is the servant of man, while other breeds 

 vary with a thousand circumstances. It has one appropriate 

 mission, and that it discharges in the most admirable way : 

 there is evidently a kind and wise design in this." 



THE MEXICAN SHEEP DOG. The following account of 

 these noble dogs appears as a communication from Mr. J. H. 



