56 IRISH AND DANISH DOGS. MASTIFF. BULL-DOG. 



degree of a gentleman to keep a dog of this kind. There 

 are several varieties ; as the Italian greyhound, the Orien- 

 tal greyhound, &c. 



THE IRISH WOLF-DOG. 



This beautiful and majestic animal is now nearly, if not 

 wholly, extinct in the only country that ever produced it ; 

 being reduced, many years since, to a male and two 

 females, in the possession of the Earl of Aldborough. 

 As wolves are no longer to be found in Ireland, we need 

 wonder the less that the breed has been so much neglected. 

 According to BuiFon, this variety was the true Molossian 

 dog of antiquity. 



THE DANISH DOG. 



This dog bears a strong resemblance to the mastiff; ex- 

 cept that its head is larger, and its body more slender. 

 It carries its tail turned up, and has a prominent forehead. 

 Of this kind, perhaps, were the dogs of Epirus, mentioned 

 by Aristotle, and those of Albania, described by Pliny. 



THE MASTIFF. 



Britain was formerly so famous for this noble breed of 

 dogs, that the Roman emperors maintained certain officers 

 in this island, whose sole employment it was to train these 

 animals for the combats of the amphitheatre. 



Dr. Caius, who wrote in the reign of queen Elizabeth, 

 affirms that three English mastiffs are a match for a bear, 

 and four for a lion. From an experiment, however, made 

 in the Tower by king James the First, it was found that a 

 lion was an unequal match for only three of them ; for, 

 though two of the dogs were disabled in the conflict, the 

 third made the lion turn his back. 



THE BULL-DOG. 



This is a very fierce, strong, and savage creature, fre- 

 quently seizing or biting without giving any notice of his 

 approach. He is peculiar to this island ; but, since the 



