The Himalayan Dog. 3 



pale brown markings, very much in appearance resembling 

 what would be produced from a cross between a Scotch 

 collie as we see him now and a modern St. Bernard. He 

 is light in colour and sagacious in expression ; whilst the 

 Asiatic dog used for very much similar purposes is dark in 

 colour, black and tan, and ferocious in appearance. These 

 two varieties are mentioned thus early in order to draw 

 attention to the fact that such dogs do exist, and to a 

 certain extent are used in the protection of the flocks and 

 herds ; but, personally, I do not believe that they have any 

 right to be classified amongst the sheep dogs proper. Then 

 there are the herd dogs of the Himalayas, again strong, 

 ferocious animals, guardians of the flocks and herds of 

 their owners ; and most countries have bred at one time or 

 another similar animals, from which the common stock has 

 evidently descended. 



Both Homer and Virgil make repeated allusions to dogs 

 of various descriptions, those of the swineherds being 

 perhaps the nearest approach to the shepherds' dogs. They 

 are sometimes called savage dogs, at other times mastiffs. 



Nor, last forget thy faithful dogs : but feed 

 With fattening whey the mastiff's generous breed, 

 And Spartan race, who, for the fold's relief, 

 Will prosecute with cries the nightly thief, 

 Repulse the prowling wolf, and hold at bay 

 The mountain robbers rushing to their prey. 



Briton Riviere, R.A., one of the great animal painters of 

 modern times, has recently given us, in a charming picture, 

 " Pallas Athene and the Herdsman's Dogs," his suggestion 

 of the pastoral dogs in use when Homer wrote. These are 

 the usual hyena-wolf-like animals of the East, with erect 

 ears and arched backs ; but Riviere depicts them as better 



B 2 



