CHARACTER OF THE DOG. 27 



is a taint of the hound or cur in his back stock ; 

 he has no style in his hunting, is occasionally 

 sullen and ferocious, displays comparatively 

 little affection for his master, and often proves 

 to be an inveterate sheep-killer. 



Mr. Krider once owned a dog of this descrip- 

 tion, which was possessed of no good qualities, 

 except an excellent nose and great steadiness on 

 his point. He was gaunt, coarse:coated, had a 

 gloomy and reserved air, as if constantly brood- 

 ing over his misdeeds, and showed so little con- 

 cern for his master's interests as to be constantly 

 snarling and snapping at his customers. Being 

 unwilling to slay the brute, and supposing that 

 his temper was tried in the store, his owner pre- 

 sented him to one of his workmen. In a few 

 days he bit the man's wife, when his new master 

 incontinently discharged a load of buckshot in 

 his breast, and dismissed Growler to the shades 

 forever. Some time after his exit, the farmer 

 from whom he had been purchased, acknow- 

 ledged that he had strongly suspected him of 

 destroying sheep. 



What a contrast to these renegades does the 

 well-known shepherd's dog of the old world 

 present ! His instinct, said to be superior to all 

 other varieties, is solely directed to the preser- 

 vation of the flock. 



