THE NEWFOUNDLAND RETRIEVER. 221 



pointed head, small, smooth ears, medium height, compact 

 shape, muscular, short limbs, wavy, long, glossy coat of 

 black or red, not curled, and the wonderful activity, 

 strength, and even speed for which the race is famous. 



When they are of the pure breed, they require little 

 breaking and no severity. The water, in the most bitter 

 storm or the severest cold, seems to be native to them. 

 They literally delight and revel in deep snow, wallowing 

 in it as if for pleasure. As to education, they require only 

 to be shown a few times what they are desired to do, 

 before they will acquire, and once acquired, never forget 

 it more ; and as friends and companions, they are better 

 even than as servants to man ; their gratitude, love, inde- 

 fatigable desire to please, cannot be surpassed by that of 

 any living being, brute or human ; and their fidelity, 

 attachment, truth and devotion, alone of any I have ever 

 seen or proved, defies time and change, is unaltered by 

 unkindness, and survives even the grave. 



