144 ANECDOTE. 



making any attempt to escape from his protecting 

 care. But one fatal day this pleasing domestic 

 scene was changed to one of a tragical nature ; 

 for, at an unlucky hour, a stranger arrived, ac- 

 companied by a big dog of a black colour. The 

 result proved that the dog had only one " pro- 

 pensity," and that, to speak phrenologically, 

 was " destructiveness." So, availing himself of 

 the absence of those of human creation, and ex- 

 cited by the aforesaid organ, and the dulness of the 

 times, he began to attack and speedily demolish 

 the frames of the pollies, scattered their limbs 

 and feathers about, and did not leave one sur- 

 vivor to relate the tale. The horrid sight that met 

 the affectionate eyes of the owner on his return, 

 was his favourites, some with bowels protruding 

 from their natural cavity ; others minus heads 

 and limbs ; and all so damaged, as to have life 

 extinguished. The big black dog even then was 

 caught busily occupied in shaking about what 

 remained of those unfortunate feathered bipeds. 

 After this melancholy occurrence, he became 

 disheartened from having any more favourites, 

 and gave it to us as the cause why he had no cu- 

 rious animals at this time to show us, but in my 

 opinion the relation was much more amusing 

 than the animals would have been : so their ab- 

 sence, at least to us, was not a source of regret. 



