98 THE SPANIEL. 



lector, mei'ely to receive his food ; and again im- 

 mediately returned to the grave. At the end of this 

 time he languished, refused to take any nourish- 

 ment, and died. 



A very pleasing instance of the sagacity of a 

 Spaniel occurred to Cowper the poet. As this 

 gentleman was walking along the bank of the 

 Ouse, accompanied by his Spaniel, he observed 

 in the river some water-lilies in bloom. He was 

 desirous of seizing one of the flowers; and, by 

 by means of his walking-stick, made several at- 

 tempts, but in vain, to steer one of them to his 

 hand. Finding that all his efforts would be to no 

 purpose, he left the flowers and -went on. Having 

 finished his ramble, he returned homeward by the 

 same place. The Dog,, without any instruction, 

 plunged into the water, cropped the identical 

 flower that Cowper had been so long in vain 

 attempting to seize, brought it away in his mouth, 

 and dropped it at his master's feet*. 



Of the instinct of Dogs, in returning home with- 

 out any guide, from distant places, there have 

 been numerous and surprising recitals. None, 

 however, are more deserving of attention than the 

 following. 



The late Colonel Hardy was sent for, express, to 



* See the " Dog and the Water Lily," in the second volume of 

 Cowper's Poems. 



Bath; 



