126 ANECDOTES OF ANIMALS. 



so characteristic of his species, was walking on the shore 

 with him. It was nearly low water, and a sand-bank, 

 covered during high tide, was visible at some hundred 

 yards distance from the shore. His attention was 

 drawn to this object, from the circumstance of the 

 water being in a state of commotion around it, while 

 the sea elsewhere was perfectly placid. On further 

 examination, he discovered that some large fish was 

 chasing a shoal of whiting, and in his eagerness to cap- 

 ture his prey, he more than once ran on the sand-bank. 



1 Directing the dog's attention to these objects, he 

 was encouraged to swim to the sand-bank, which he 

 soon attained ; and he had not been there a minute, 

 before the large fish made another dash almost under 

 his nose. The dog immediately pursued the fish ; and 

 ere it had reached the deep water he seized it by the 

 shoulders and bore it to the sand-bank. The fish, how- 

 ever, remained far from passive under such treatment ; 

 for as soon as it was released, it opened its large jaws, 

 and bit the dog so fiercely, as to cause his muzzle to 

 be crimsoned with blood. 



* A few struggles brought the fish again into his own 

 element, in which he quickly disappeared. But the 

 dog, though severely bitten, was not discomfited. A 

 cheering call from his young friend was followed by 

 his dashing into the water after his finny foe; and 

 diving, he reappeared with the fish trailing from his 

 jaws. Again he bore him to the sand-bank, and again 

 the fish made good use of his teeth. 



' But it was evident that the struggle could not be 

 much longer continued. Availing himself of every op- 

 portunity, the dog used his powerful tusks with terrible 

 effect on the fish's shoulders, and at last, taking a gooc] 



