XABEADOE DOG.] THE DOG, AND ITS VAEIETIES; [i-abeadoe spakiel. 



with ease, and will do this without the aid of 

 a driver, when acquainted with the road ; and 

 having delivered their burden, they return 

 home to their masters, and receive, as a re- 

 ward for their labour, their accustomed food, 

 which generally consists of dried fish, of which 

 they are said to be extremely fond." 



THE LABRADOR DOG. 



This is an animal considerably larger than 

 the Newfoundland, with a shorter muzzle, a 

 more pendulous upper lip, a coarser coat, and 

 altogether exhibiting marks of greater athletic 

 power than are presented in the form of the 

 Newfoundland. He stands from twenty-eight 

 to thirty inches high. 



The following are the measurements of a 

 dog of this breed, given in KnigMs Weehli; 

 Volume : — " Total length, including the tail, 

 six feet three inches ; height at the shoulder, 

 two feet six inches ; length of head, from 

 occiput to point of nose, eleven inches ; cir- 

 cumference of chest, three feet one inch. In 

 Labrador, these large dogs are used in draw- 

 ing sledges, loaded with wood, and are of great 

 service to the settlers." 



A fine specimen of this dog belonged to 

 Lady Bellew, of Barmeath. It stood about 

 twenty-nine inches high at the shoulder. 

 This animal, although used for purposes of 

 draught in his native country, might be applied 

 to hunting purposes, as his scent is very keen. 



THE LABRADOR SPANIEL. 



In point of size, this dog stands between 

 the Newfoundland and the land-spaniel. It 

 is remarkable for its aquatic predilections, and, 

 as a diver, is unrivalled. In reference to this 

 animal, Mr. Eichardson gives the following 

 anecdote, on the authority of Saunders's News- 

 Letter, a Dublin newspaper, where it appeared 

 on the 1st of September, 1846. If true, it 

 places the sagacity and disposition of this kind 

 of dog, in a very favourable light : — ■ 



" JBeeler, the Dog of the Police. — During a 

 recent investigation relative to the manner in 

 which the policeman came by his death at 

 Kingstown, a little active and inquisitive dog, 

 of the Labrador breed, was seen, from time to 

 time, during each day, running in and out of 

 the room, as if he took a personal interest in 

 the inquiry. The dog was admired, and a 

 464i 



gentleman in the police establishment was 

 asked to whom it belonged. ' Oh,' said he, 

 ' don't you know him ? we thought every one 

 knew Peeler, the dog of the police.' The 

 gentleman then proceeded to give the inter- 

 rogator the history of this singular dog. It 

 appeared from the story, that, a few years ago, 

 poor little Peeler tempted the canine appetite 

 of a Mount St. Bernard, or Newfoundland 

 dog, and was in peril of being swallowed up 

 by him for a luncheon, when a policeman 

 interposed, and, with a blow of his baton, 

 levelled the assailant, and rescued the assailed. 

 Prom that time Peeler has united his fortunes 

 with those of the police ; wherever they go, he 

 follows ; whether pacing with measured tread 

 the tedious ' beat,' or engaged in the energetic 

 duty of arresting a disturber of the public 

 peace. He is a self-constituted general super- 

 intendent of the police, visiting station after 

 station, and, after he has made his observation 

 in one district, wending his way to the next. 

 He is frequently seen to enter a third-class 

 carriage at the Kingstown Eailway, get out at 

 Black Eock, visit the police station there, con- 

 tinue his tour of inspection to Booterstown, 

 reach there in time for the train as before, 

 and go on to Dublin to take a peep at the 

 ' metropolitans ;' and having satisfied himself 

 that ' all is right,' return by an early evening 

 train to Kingstown. He sometimes takes a 

 dislike to an individual, and shuns him as 

 anxiously as he wags his tail at the approach, 

 and frisks about the feet of another, for whom 

 he has a regard. There is one man in the 

 force for whom he has this antipathy ; and, a 

 day or two ago, seeing him in ' the train,' he 

 left the carriage, and waited for the next, pre- 

 ferring a delay of half an hour to such com- 

 pany ; and when the bell rang, with the eager- 

 ness with which protracted joy is sought, he 

 ran to his accustomed seat in ' the third class.' 

 His partiality for the police is extraordinary ; 

 wherever he sees a man in the garb of a con- 

 stable, he expresses his pleasure by walking 

 near him, rubbing against, and dancing about 

 him. Nor does he forget him in death ; for 

 he was at his post at the funeral of Daly, the 

 policeman who was killed in Kingstown. He 

 is able to recognise a few in plain clothes ; 

 but they must have been old friends of his. 

 Wherever he goes, he gets a crust, a piece oi 



