THE CATTLE-DOG OF CUBA. 155 



is the wild representative, and both as imported from 

 Spain. 



The old British slow-hound, and the primitive 

 lurcher, we suspect once belonged to the present 

 group, being gradually commuted into their subse- 

 quent forms by repeated crossings with true hounds 

 and greyhounds; the first into the Manchester and 

 southern hound, and the second, so remarkable for 

 sagacity and attachment, deriving these qualities 

 from the cur stock, whose head, hair, and uncouth 

 form, it still preserves ; but we do not now any 

 more employ it under the old English appellation of 

 Teaser, which appears to be the legitimate modern 

 term for Oppian's Agasseus. Although the Celtic 

 Agas denotes simply a dog, it may be observed, that 

 the modern French verb agacer (to tease, to pro- 

 voke), is neither of Latin or Frankish origin, and 

 therefore, most likely, is derived from an original 

 Gallic root. The meaning of the verb is perfectly 

 applicable to this ancient lurcher, and to the large 

 terriers still used in the German hunting packs, for 

 the purpose of rousing or provoking the w r ild boar 

 from his lair, and make him break cover. Redinger 

 figured this ancient dog under the name of Sau- 

 finder (sow-searcher) ; and our diminutive modern 

 terrier, particularly the Scottish rough-haired breed, 

 is therefore the race we look upon as the most an- 

 cient dog of Britain, though the opinion which 

 would make it indigenous is very questionable. 

 These lurcher-terriers, or agassei, were originally 

 all, more or less, buff, or sandy coloured, with 



