APPENDIX 239 



in our text of dogs, with their mouths " somewhat gaping, 

 as if they were enosed in their throat." 



MASTIFF, from F. metif, O. F. mestlf, M. E. mastyf, 

 mestiv^ mixed breed, a mongrel dog (Cent. Diet., Murray). 

 Some etymologists have suggested that the word mastiff 

 was derived from masethieves^ as these dogs protected their 

 master's houses and cattle from thieves (Manwood, p. 

 113). Others again give mastinus^ i.e. maison tenant^ 

 house-dog, as the origin, but the first derivation given of 

 mestif\ mongrel, is the one now generally recognised. 



Although it will be quite evident to any one compar- 

 ing the mastiff depicted in our Plate, p. 122, with any 

 picture of the British mastiff that the two are very diffe- 

 rent types, we must not therefore conclude that the artist 

 was at fault, but that the French matln^ which is what our 

 MS. describes and depicts, was by no means identical 

 with our present English breed of mastiffs, nor even with 

 the old British mastiff or bandog. The French matins 

 were generally big, hardy dogs, somewhat light in the 

 body, with long heads, pointed muzzles, flattened fore- 

 head, and semi-pendant ears ; some were rough and others 

 smooth coated. 



Matins were often used for tackling the wild boar 

 when run by other hounds, so as to save the more valu- 

 able ones when the boar turned to bay. 



In this chase, as well as when they were used to pro- 

 tect their master's flocks against wolves, huge iron spiked 

 collars were fastened round the dog's neck. These 

 spiked collars were very formidable affairs ; one of very 

 ancient make which I have measures inside nearly eight 

 inches in diameter, and the forty-eight spikes are an inch 

 long, the whole weighing without the padlock that 

 fastened it together about two pounds. 



In England the name Mastiff was not in general use 

 till a much later date, even as late as the end of the 

 eighteenth century, Osbaldiston in his Dictionary ignor- 

 ing the term mastiff, and using, like a true Saxon, the 



