The Bulldogs of Spain and the Continent. 285 



great size and tenacity of the ancient bulldog, but also the most common 

 colour, viz., white with dark patches about the ears. 



Richardson, who saw two or three specimens, thus wrote upon the 

 Spanish bulldogs in the early part of the present century. " His head 

 is of prodigious size, even apparently too large in proportion to his body ; 

 his eyes are placed very far apart, his upper lip pendulous, the ear is 

 small and not perfectly pendulous, being erect at the root, but the 

 tip falling over, colour usually tawny or light rufous ; the under jaw is 

 also undershot, and I do not think I can give my readers a better idea 

 of the dog than by describing him as a gigantic bulldog." He then 

 goes on to say : " Col. H. Smith conceives this race to have been 

 identical with the broad-mouthed dogs for which Britain was cele- 

 brated during the Eoman era ; and certainly as this race answers to 

 ancient description far better than our common bulldog, I am disposed 

 fully to concur with him.' ' 



In Eussia and Germany the ancient bulldog is almost extinct ; and in 

 France but very few remain, the modern English fashion for small or toy 

 bulldogs having crossed the channel, and the result of the pairing of the 

 manufactured toy with the original stock has been the almost total 

 extinction of the latter in its purity. During the reign of the Commune 

 many of the ancient bulldogs were obtained from Bordeaux and Spain for 

 the purposes of the arena, but, from paucity of numbers and the dangerous 

 nature of their employment, but few were left alive. Bordeaux, from the 

 time it was occupied by the English up to within a very few years, was 

 the great centre from which emanated the purest of ancient bulldogs, and 

 the dogne de Bordeaux was at one time well known all over the Continent, 

 but now, owing to the stringency of the laws, the breed has practically 

 died out, and it is only in Spain where the remnants of this historical 

 race can be found, and is known as the perro de presa. 



In that country the bulldog is still used as he was in England 

 in the reign of King John (A.D. 1200), and as described by Dr. Caius, 

 to catch and hold a bull, who, in an immense arena, unfettered by rope 

 or chain, or disarmed by balled horns, rushes at dog or man with 

 the ferocity of a tiger, and is only pinned and held by the immense 

 power, wonderful activity, and terrible determination so well described 

 by Caius. In such a combat as this it is needless to point out 

 that the toy dog at present cherished by a few as the English bull- 



