WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS 



a third time given, the dog got up, and wagging his tail, 

 looked his master in the face with so comical an expression 

 of interrogation, that we could not help laughing aloud at 

 him, on which, with a slight growl, he laid himself down 

 in his warm corner, with an offended air, and as if deter- 

 mined not to be made a fool of again. 



Occasionally a poaching shepherd teaches his dog to be 

 of great service in assisting him to kill game. I remember 

 one of these men, who was in the habit of wiring hares, and 

 though the keepers knew of his malpractices, they were for 

 some time unable to catch him in the act, in consequence 

 of his always placing his three dogs as videttes in different 

 directions, to warn him of the approach of any person. A 

 herd-boy at the farm near my house puts his dog to a 

 curious use. A great part of his flock are sent to pasture on 

 the carse ground across the river, and when the boy does 

 not want to go across to count them and see that they are 

 all right, deterred from doing so by the water being flooded, 

 or from any other reason, he sends his dog to swim across 

 and collect the sheep on the opposite bank, where he can 

 see them all distinctly. Though there are other sheep on the 

 carse belonging to different people, the dog only brings his 

 own flock. After they are counted and pronounced to be all 

 ricrht by the boy, the dog swims back again to his master. 



Were I to relate the numberless anecdotes of dogs that 

 have been told me, I could fill a volume. 



lam often amused by observing thedifference of temper 

 and disposition which is shown by my own dogs — as great 

 a difference, indeed, as would be perceived among the same 

 number of human beings. 



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