226 THE CUBA MASTIFF. 



belonged to the Elector of Saxony, King of Poland, 

 we measured, and found to be thirty inches at the 

 shoulder. The ancient English breed was, however, 

 brindled yellow and black. 



The Cuba Mastiff. The fine pair of this breed in 

 the Zoological Gardens have made the public well 

 acquainted with their aspect. We were informed 

 in the West Indies, by Spanish cattle-dealers on 

 the south side of the island, who pay great atten- 

 tion to preserve them,* that they were introduced 

 from England in the time of Philip ll/ " They 

 are," in the words of Mr. Bennet, " larger than our 

 common bull-dogs, and smaller than the mastiff, 

 well made, and rather stout in their proportions ; 

 moderately high on the legs ; muscular and power- 

 ful; their muzzle is short, broad, and abruptly 

 truncate, with somewhat of an upward curve ; the 

 head broad and flat, and the lips elongated, and so 

 deeply pendulous as to overlap the margins of the 

 lower jaw ; the ears, which are of a middling size, 

 are also partly pendulous, but not to such an extent 

 as to be flat upon the sides of the head ; the tail is 

 rather short, cylindrical, and turned upwards and 

 forwards towards the tip." Those we have seen were 

 of a rusty wolf-colour, with face, lips, and legs 

 black. The common Spanish cattle-dog of Ame- 

 rica is evidently crossed with this breed. 



^ They were first kept at a Monastery in the ancient capi- 

 tal, St. Jago, according to the accounts received from a priest 

 by our informant. 



