164 THE ALPINE MASTIFF. 



" Cani siuiilis csi volnptns : si pellas fugit ; si nutrias pcrmanct." 1 

 (Horn. iii. Ad Antioca) than in Dr. Watts' maxim 



" Let- dogs delight to bark and bito," 



for they delighted to pit other dogs against the redoubtable 

 Couchez, who although often much smaller than his antagon- 

 ists, was always victorious. 



The measurements of this short muzzled, broad skulled 

 champion were: height about 30 inches, weight 130 Ibs. 



Couchez as a fighting dog was simply (to use the language 

 of Shakespeare) unmatchable. 1 have some photos of him 

 from a copy of an old oil painting, and from his photo, colour, 

 and other characteristics, I am inclined to believe that he had 

 a cross of the Spanish bulldog in him : however his blood 

 enters into most mastiffs of the present day, as he was the 

 second cross Mr. Lukey made as \ve shall see further on. 



In 1^47 Richardson published his book on the dog, and 

 gives an illustration of an Alpine mastiff, the property of a 

 Mr. W. Flood. This was seemingly a very fine coated 

 animal, the stern being fine, tapering, and free from any rough 

 hair, the ears are rather large and heavy, the 1 forehead is full 

 and broad. This woodcut is valuable evidence, as it shows 

 there was little difference between some of the old Alpine 

 mastiffs and the English breed, except the greater size in 

 some specimens. 



Some years ago now, noticing what 1 thought to be a very 

 fine English mastiff bitch in a vard, I asked about her 

 parentage and breeding, and was rather surprised to hear 

 she was an Alpine mastiff, for I thought the breed was quite 

 extinct ; her head was remarkably short and grand, her size 

 and bone might have told me that she had Alpine blood. 



