PREFACE. 



Among the various scientinc and anecdotical Avritino-s in the 

 English hmguage on The Dog, it might be thought that the sub- 

 ject was exhausted, and that nothing remained to be done b_y 

 the most careful observer of the habits and external forms of the 

 varieties of this animal. But let any one seek for specific inforin- 

 ation upon several points connected with even v/ell-mar.ked and 

 generally-recognised kinds, and he will soon be brought to confess 

 that he is lost in doubt and uncertainty. For instance, where 

 shall we find a sufficient description of the spaniels and terriers, 

 or of the various retrievers for which such large sums are often 

 given ? Who will be able to discover, from any written account, 

 the difierence between the springer and the cocker, or between 

 the Clumber and Sussex spaniels P Who, again, will tell us the 

 colours and forms of the Skye and Dandie Dinmont terriers, or the 

 characteristics of the EngKsh toy terriers, pugs, and Maltese dogs? 

 Yet there are thousands and tens of thousands who take a great 



