63 OnULNIVORA. 



To the shepherd it is an invaluable assistant. In point of intel- 

 ligence, thoughtfulness and promptitude, it is not probably ex- 

 celled by any of the varieties of dogs. A story is told of a dog 

 belonging to the " Ettrick Shepherd," who had 700 sheep under 

 his care. On a certain occasion, they broke away in the middle 

 of the night, and in spite of every effort of the shepherd and 

 his assistants, roamed to a distance across the hills. " Sirrah," 

 said the afflicted shepherd to his dog, " Sirrah, my man, they're 

 a' awa." Away went the dog in the darkness, the shepherd and 

 his companions meantime scouring the hills, but seeing nothing 

 of the flock or the dog. The next morning they found them at 

 the bottom of a deep ravine, not one lamb of the whole flock 

 missing, and the dog standing in front of them, keeping watch. 



On the Alpine summits of St. Bernard, remarkable for its 

 hospital, and covered with the snows of a ceaseless winter, the 

 resident monks have been often known to issue forth in the midst 

 of tempests and snow storms, and by means of their large dogs, 

 of peculiar breed, have discovered travelers unable to track 

 their way, and saved them from the cold embrace of death. We 

 subjoin the following as illustrating the powers of imitation and 

 memory possessed by the dogs. 



A few winters since, a gentleman in Lawrence, Mass., one 

 morning when the snow was covered with a smooth icy crust, 

 noticed a little dog seated on his haunches, sliding down the 

 steep bank before his house. He supposed that the dog had slipped, 

 but noticed as he reached the bottom of the hill, he ran up again. 

 He continued his sport for some time, apparently with great delight. 

 P. H. Gosse, in his article on the dog, relates that " Lord Com- 

 bermere's mother, (Lady Cotton,) had a terrier named Viper, 

 whose memory was so retentive that it was only necessary to re- 

 peat to him once the name of the nu'merous visitors at Comber- 

 mere, and he never afterwards forgot it. Mrs. H. came on a 

 visit there on a Saturday. Lady Combermere took the dog up 

 in her arms, and going up to Mrs. H. said, "Viper, this is Mrs. 

 H." She then took him to another newly arrived lady, and said, 

 " Viper, this is Mrs. B. ; " and no further notice was taken. 

 Next morning, when they went to church, Viper was of the 

 party. Lady Cotton put a prayer book in his mouth, and told 

 him to take it to Mrs. H., which he did, and then carried one to 

 Mrs. B., at his mistress's order." 



A man in Windsor, Vt., owned a large and valuable Mastiff dog, 

 which had the misfortune to break his leg. The owner, aftef 

 trying in vain to set the bones himself, sent for a physician, who 

 speedily put the bone in its place, and splintered up the leg. 



