230 THE AMERICAN BOOK OF THE DOG. 



friendship, he will do almost anything for you. I can 

 always tell what game my dogs are pursuing by their dif- 

 ferent ways of giving tongue, and have become so accus- 

 tomed to their ways and methods of hunting that I have 

 never been misled by them but once. In that instance they 

 gave the bark I generally* heard when a squirrel was treed, 

 only fiercer. On walking up to them I saw, lying fiat on 

 the limb of an oak-tree, a large wildcat. I fired at her, and 

 had the satisfaction of seeing her fall among my dogs, who 

 covered her at once. I soon discovered that she was far 

 from dead, and she proved as lively a corpse as could be 

 imagined. She defended what life was left in her valiantly. 

 My dogs were bleeding, and the cat kept on dealing terrible 

 blows upon them. I could not shoot, for I would have 

 killed my dogs also. When the battle was at its height, I 

 noticed one dog, which weighed only eighteen pounds, 

 retire slowly, while the two remaining ones were attacking 

 the cat as furiously as ever. All at once the little dog who 

 had retired a minute before, returned, leaped suddenly 

 from behind on the cat's back, landing his teeth in the 

 back of her neck. The surprise was complete, and in a 

 second's time one of the other dogs caught hold at her 

 throat, and the fight was over the cat killed. The little 

 dogs that showed so much courage a few minutes before 

 were all in terrible condition, and as weak as could be from 

 loss of blood. 



As a watch or house dog, the Dachshund ranks high, 

 and I can almost pronounce him superior to any other 

 variety; he will notice the slightest noise the faintest 

 footstep about the house and will give alarm. He is kind 

 to the members and friends of the family, but as savage as 

 a dog can be to the intruder. He is an invaluable assistant 

 to the farmer, who can sleep safely when knowing that a 

 Dachshund watches over his property especially his poul- 

 try at night. No mink, 'coon, skunk, or other vermin will 

 live long in his neighborhood; this little dog will work day 

 and night to kill these pests that nearly always infest 

 farms where poultry is kept, and which do so much dam- 

 age if not checked by a good dog. 



