186 OUR HUMBLE HELPERS 



could go into its master's pocket. Between these 

 two extremes there are all degrees. 



"If we enter on the details of shape, what diver- 

 sity, again, do we find! Here the ear is small and 

 stands up in a point ; there it is large and covers the 

 whole of the temple, and hangs down low enough to 

 dip into the porringer out of which the animal eats. 

 One, active in the chase, carries its slender body on 

 long legs ; another, apt at insinuating itself into the 

 fox's narrow hole or the rabbit's burrow, trots on 

 stubby members and almost touches the ground with 

 its stomach. In this one the muzzle is gracefully ta- 

 pered, made for caresses ; in that, it is shortened into 

 a brutal snout, adapted to warfare. Then there are 

 some whose knotty and twisted legs seem crippled 

 from birth ; and there are others whose nose, black as 

 coal, has the two nostrils separated by a deep 

 trench. ' ' 



"Those dogs look as if they had a double nose," 

 Louis remarked. "They are said to have a keener 

 scent than the others." 



"I don't know how far the split nose may indicate 

 keenness of scent. Let us go on and take a rapid 

 glance at the principal breeds of dogs. 



"Let us first mention the mastiff, vigilant guard- 

 ian of the farm-house and courageous protector 

 of the flock. It is a robust, bold animal, tolerably 

 large, with short hair on the back, longer under the 

 belly and on the tail. It has a long head, flat fore- 

 head, ears erect at the base and drooping at the tip, 

 strong legs, and vigorous jaws. White, black, gray, 



