188 



of Natural $&t 



though generally inclined to be pendulous, 

 capable of being erected ; the tail remarkably 

 slender, some of the stoutest bull-dogs having 

 tails which would grace an Italian grey- 

 hound. Similar colours also prevail in both 

 varieties, and more especially the brindled, 

 the mottled, and the more or less white. In 

 both, the sense of smell is slow for the dog, 

 whilst the sight is good. Both are ferocious 

 and savage when set on : the ferocity of the 

 greyhound is not unfrequently shown in the 

 destruction of sheep." 



The author then gives reasons for pre- 

 suming that the Newfoundland dog, which 

 he says has been regarded as a large species 

 of water-spaniel, is distinctly traceable to 

 the Esquimaux stock ; and he concludes by 

 observing that whatever may be the value 

 and results of inquiries like these, as respects 

 the study of ethnology, the labour need not 

 be in vain as respects the animals them- 

 selves, since conclusions of more or less prac- 

 tical value can scarcely fail to be deduced 

 for the guidance of the breeder and the be- 

 nefit of the public. 



Dogs are found in all parts of the world, 

 with the exception of a few groups of islands 

 in the Southern Pacific Ocean. But it is 

 only in temperate climates that they pre- 

 serve their ardour, courage, sagacity, and 

 other talents. [See BLOODHOUND, BULL-DOG, 

 FOXHOUND, GREYHOUND, HOUND, MASTIFF, 

 POINTER, SPANIEL, SHEPHERD'S DOG, &c.] 



DOG-FISH. (.Scyttium catulus. ) This 

 species of Shark, called the Large-spotted 

 Dog-fish, is from two to three feet in length; 

 the head is large ; the snout prominent and 

 slightly pointed : the skin rough ; body 

 cylindric ; the colour a brownish grey, with 

 a slight tinge of pale brick red, and marked 

 with very numerous blackish or dusky spots; 

 the belly whitish, and very smooth. These 

 fish, when at their full growth, weigh about 

 twenty pounds each : they are caught in 

 considerable numbers on our own coasts, 

 where their voracious habits do great injury 

 to the fisheries ; and in Scotland they con- 

 stitute no inconsiderable part of the food of 

 the poor. The rough skin of this fish is used 

 by joiners and other artificers in polishing 

 various substances, particularly wood, and 

 is generally known by the name of " fish- 

 skin." 



The SMALL-SPOTTED DOG-FISH (Scyl- 

 lium canicula) is in many respects simi- 

 lar to the preceding, and is one of the most 

 common species on our southern coasts, 

 where, keeping near the bottom of the water, 

 it feeds on small fish and Crustacea. The 

 upper part of the body is marked with nu- 

 merous small, dark, reddish-brown spots, on 

 a pale reddish ground ; the spots on the fins 

 rather larger and less numerous than those 

 on the body. 



The PICKED DOG-FISH (Spmax acanthias) 

 is a species very common on the coasts of 

 Kent and Sussex, where it is almost univer- 

 sally called the Bone Dog ; it is also very 

 numerous on the north-eastern and western 

 coasts, and is often seen in shoals among the 

 Scotch islands. This fish is distinguished from 



the others of this class by haying a single 

 spine placed in front of each of its two dorsal 

 fins, and from which it derives its name. 

 We learn from Mr. Yarrell, who quotes Mr. 

 Couch, that " they are sometimes found in 

 incalculable numbers, to the no small an- 

 noyance of the fishermen, whose hooks they 

 cut from the lines in a rapid succession. 

 The Picked Dog bends itself into the form 

 of a bow for the purpose of using its spines, 

 and by a sudden motion causes them to 

 spring asunder in opposite directions : and 

 so accurately is this intention effected, that 

 if a finger be placed on its head, it will strike 

 it without piercing its own skin." Length 

 about twenty inches ; the upper part of the 

 head and body slate grey ; under parts yel- 

 lowish. 



Another species, called the BLACK- 

 MOUTHED DOG-FISH, (from the colour of the 

 inside of its mouth) is well known in the 

 Mediterranean. It runs from two feet to 

 two feet six inches in length ; is of a light 

 brown colour on the head and along the 

 back, and on each side are two rows of ocel- 

 lated spots. 



DOLABELLA. A genus of Tectibran- 

 chiate Mollusca, closely allied to the Sea- 

 Hares (Aplysia), differing from them in 

 having the branchisB at the posterior part 

 of the body, which looks like a truncated 



cone. Their lateral crest does not close on 

 branchiae, leaving a groove. The inner shell 

 is calcareous. There is more than one spe- 

 cies ; the genus is found both in the Medi- 

 terranean and the Eastern seas. Some ob- 

 servations on them and allied genera have 

 been published by Arthur Adams, F. L. S., 

 of H. M. S. Samarang. Our figure shows 

 the Dolabella liumphii with its shell. 



DOLIUM. A genus of Mollusca, inhabit- 

 ing univalve shells, found, for the most part, 

 in the Indian, African, and South American 



PARTRIDGE SHELL. (DOLIUM PERK IX.) 



seas : the shell is large, light, and oval or 

 globular ; the mouth wide and notched, 



