146 DOGS AND CATS. 



races nimbly up and down on the back of the great heavy 

 horses, barking from right to left with great animation, and 

 is said to be a most faithful little creature in guarding the 

 property of his owner. What is peculiar about these little 

 dogs is the entireness of their devotion to their master. 

 They have not a look, not a wag of the tail, for any one 

 else ; it is vain for a stranger to try and make friends with 

 them, they have eyes and ears for one alone. 



All dogs which do not belong to some of the great vari- 

 eties, on the one side of their parentage or the other, are 

 classed together as curs, and very much undervalued and 

 decried ; and yet among these mongrel curs we have seen 

 individuals quite as sagacious, intelligent, and affectionate 

 as the best blood-dogs. 



And now I want to say some things to those young 

 people who desire to adopt as domestic pets either a dog 

 or a cat. Don't do it without making up your mind to be 

 really and thoroughly kind to them, and feeding them as 

 carefully as you feed yourself, and giving them appropriate 

 shelter from the inclemency of the weather. 



Some people seem to have a general idea that throwing 

 a scrap, or bone, or bit of refuse meat, at odd intervals, 

 to a dog, is taking abundant care of him. " What 's the 

 matter with him ? he can't be hungry, I gave him that 

 great bone yesterday." Ah, Master Hopeful, how would 

 you like to be fed on the same principle ? When you show 



