DOGS OF CONSTANTINOPLE. 247 



said, a considerable influence on the sanitary arrangements 

 of the capital. They have no fixed abode, at least in the 

 eyes of the inhabitants, but nevertheless, among themselves, 

 the city is portioned out into numerous and well-defined 

 districts, and woe to the dog who trespasses on his neigh- 

 bour's territory ! His life, unless he beat a speedy and 

 ignominious retreat, is not worth five minutes' purchase. 

 Though held in veneration by the Turks, they receive no 

 regular meals, and consequently are compelled to have 

 recourse occasionally to an extremely sparse and delicate 

 diet I saw one to-day making his midday meal off a couple 

 of cherries and a rain-puddle. 



" In personal appearance they are between a fox and a 

 wolf; in disposition, easily roused, snappish and cunning; 

 in taste, omnivorous. Their dismal concert, which takes 

 place every night, and is never postponed by reason of the 

 inclemency of the weather or the sore throats of any mem- 

 bers of the company, constitutes an effectual antidote to 

 the sleep of those whose notion of music is not based on the 

 growl and the howl." 



The wild pariah dogs of India frequent the jungles and 

 the lower ranges of the Himalayas in numerous packs, and 

 whenever there is any fighting going on they are sure not to 

 be far off. 



All the scavenger dogs of Eastern cities, even the 

 mongrels of Colombo, seem to a certain extent to follow the 

 example of their Constantinople kindred, and divide the 

 streets and lanes into districts. In 1844 the dogs of 

 Alexandria had become so numerous and troublesome, that 

 Mehemet AH banished them in a body to an island at the 



