DOG. 



297 



must be the result of the laws of nature ; nor can the 

 humane and feeling rnind avoid the belief that kind- 

 ness to those animals from which he derives continued 

 and essential assistance is part of his moral duty." 



The breeds of the dog, in a state of partial or com- 

 plete domestication, are so numerous however, and 

 the propensities of different breeds, and of different 

 individuals of the same breed, are so varied, that 

 there is no possibility of giving any thing like a 

 general character of the race, while even a judicious 

 selection of the tales of their biography would rill 

 many volumes. It is impossible not to admire the 

 sagacity and the strength of attachment which many 

 animals of this genus evince ; and as they appear, 

 when properly domesticated, to merge all their own 

 attachments and interests in devotedness to the cause 

 of their masters, it is exceedingly difficult to account 

 for their conduct upon any of the known principles of 

 animal physiology. 



That there is nothing at all approaching to what 

 we call reason, or a process of judgment, as men judge 

 of cause and effect, in the sagacity of dogs, is certain, 

 because instances are recorded of the effects of their 

 sagacity, which totally surpass all reason, and abso- 

 lutely appear as if they were the results of some occult 

 principle, to the nature of which we have no clue. 

 The power of sensation in these animals, especially of 

 the sense of smell in such of them as in a state of 

 nature make use chiefly of that sense, in obtaining 

 their prey, is perfectly wonderful ; and they appear 

 to know not only the slot or scent left by an animal, 

 where there is no impression upon the grouud in the 

 least cognisable by human senses ; but they appear 

 to recognise a difference of scent, not only in different 

 animals of the same species, but absolutely in different 

 inanimate substances ; and what is more wonderful, 

 they appear to know the direction in which that which 

 they pursue or follow, has proceeded, even when it 

 has long gone by. We have well authenticated in- 

 stances of dogs having been carried within carriages, 

 over long distances, where they had no means of 

 examining a bit of the road ; and yet of their return- 

 ing when liberated, with the most unerring certainty, 

 to the places from which they were originally carried 

 in this artificial manner. A dog too who has had any 

 experience in following on the scent, will not continue 

 for any length of time on the back scent, or direction 

 opposite to that in which the chase is gone, but after 

 a trial or two with his nose, will double round and 

 follow the forward scent or direction which the animal 

 has taken. This is, perhaps, the most extraordinary 

 case of animal sensation witn which we are acquainted, 

 and it shows how admirably nature can adapt the 

 qualities of animals to the necessities of their modes 

 of life ; and also how economical nature is in the dis- 

 tribution of even these wonderful endowments. Dogs 

 which find their prey by the sight never have this 

 wonderful acuteness of smell ; and those which have 

 this in perfection have not the powerful sight of those 

 which are without it, neither are they, generally speak- 

 ing, so swift-footed. But those which have the sense 

 of smell most powerful arc, generally speaking, more 

 persevering and staunch than the others, and can 

 follow their game over longer distances, and also find 

 it again much more readily in the case of losing it. 



Dogs are, generally speaking, social to some extent 

 or other, even in those conditions which we may con- 

 sider as more nearly approaching to a state of rude 

 nature ; and, in the formation of their social unions, 



for the accomplishment of particular purposes, their 

 instincts are not less wonderful than in the acuteness of 

 their sense of smelling. We shall mention one instance 

 of this, the authenticity of which may, we believe, be 

 relied on ; though it is not easy to account for it upon 

 any known principle either of instinct or of reason, or 

 of that imaginary principle which they who seek to 

 explain that in animals which is not explainable, are 

 in the habit of gratuitously endowing them with. All 

 attempts at explanation of this kind are unwise in 

 principle and ineffective in practice ; and, therefore, 

 attempting them does not admit of any defence on 

 the score of sound judgment. In all parts of nature, 

 in the vegetable and the mineral kingdoms as well as 

 the animal, and even in the simplest substances, or at 

 all events the most apparently simple substances which 

 we meet with in those kingdoms, there are puzzles 

 every bit as inexplicable as the keen senses and won- 

 derful sagacity of the dog ; and we need not vex our- 

 selves at being unable to explain the rationale of these 

 upon any principles analogous to those of which we 

 understand the working, until we have explained why 

 every plant and every animal is, within certain limits, 

 true to its specific type; and why every crystallisable 

 mineral is faithful to the primary form of its crystal. 

 Throughout the whole of nature, we know very little 

 of the " whys " and " wherefores," and perhaps we 

 should best consult our wisdom and our dignity if we 

 made no attempts to waste our time in speculations 

 in those departments of nature respecting which we 

 must remain for ever ignorant. But to proceed to our 

 anecdote, of which no explanation can, we believe, be 

 given : 



A gentleman residing in the county of Fife, and 

 not very far from the city of St. Andrews, was in pos- 

 session of a very fine Newfoundland dog, which was 

 remarkable alike for its tractability and its trustworthi- 

 ness. At two other points, each distant about a mile 

 from each other, and at the same distance from this 

 gentleman's mansion, there were two other dogs, of 

 great power, but of less tractable breeds, than the 

 Newfoundland one. One of these was a large mastiff, 

 kept as a watch-dog by a farmer, and the other a 

 staunch bull-dog that kept guard over the parish mill. 

 As each of these three was lord-ascendant of all 

 animals at his master's residence, they all had a good 

 deal of aristocratic pride and pugnacity, so that two 

 of them seldom met without attempting to settle their 

 respective dignities by a wager of battle. 



The Newfoundland dog was of some service in the 

 domestic arrangements, besides his guardianship of 

 the house ; for every forenoon he was sent to the 

 baker's shop in the village, about half a mile distant, 

 with a towel containing money in the corner, and he 

 returned with the value of the money in bread. There 

 were many useless and not over civil curs in the vil- 

 lage, as there are in too many villages throughout the 

 country ; but in ordinary the haughty Newfoundland 

 treated this ignoble race in that contemptuous style 

 in which great dogs are wont to treat little ones. 

 When the dog returned from the baker's shop he used 

 to be regularly served with his dinner, and went 

 peaceably on house duty for the rest of the day. 



One day, however, he returned with his coat dir- 

 tied and his ears scratched, having been subjected to 

 a combined attack of the curs, while he had charge of 

 his towel and bread, and so could not defend himself. 

 Instead of waiting for his dinner as usual, he laid 

 down his charge somewhat sulkily, and marched off; 



