DOGS. Ill 



every degree of pure or mongrel blood ; terriers of all 

 kinds swarm around us, playing all sorts of antics, 

 evincing all kinds of impertinences, catching all sorts of 

 vermin, and presenting themselves to us in every shape 

 of beauty or ugliness, of which their race is capable. 



The most ancient of this influential if not respectable 

 tribe of dogs, indeed the most ancient dog of Great 

 Britain, is the Scotch Terrier, brought hither, probably, 

 from the north-west of Europe by the primitive inhabit- 

 ants. There are two varieties of indigenous terriers 

 the one, smooth, usually white or black in colour, with 

 tan spots, sharp muzzle, bright and lively eyes, pointed 

 or slightly turned-down ears, and tail carried high. It 

 is, however, supposed that the Scottish race, with a 

 shorter and fuller muzzle, stouter limbs, hard, shaggy 

 fur, sometimes white in colour, but more often sandy 

 or ochrey, is the oldest and most genuine breed. One 

 of these clever and excellent beasts, named Peter, lived 

 with my mother for some years, and during the whole 

 of that time evinced the greatest sagacity and attach- 

 ment. He constantly understood the conversation, pro- 

 vided it related to cats, rats, or himself ; and often 

 when we spoke of him casually, without even knowing 

 he was in the room, or calling him by his name, he hns 

 laid his head on our knees and wagged his tail, as much 

 as to say, ' I understand.' He was a most inveterate 

 enemy to all rats, mice, and cats, nipping them in the 

 back of the neck, and throwing them over his head at 

 the rate of one in a minute. Before he came into our 

 family, he won a wager that he would kill twelve rats 

 in twelve minutes. The second rat fastened on his lip, 

 and hung there while he despatched the other ten, and 

 men, within the given time, he finished that also. The 



