Modern Dogs. 



animal painter. Fifty years ago a large proportion 

 of the anecdotes of dogs related to the sagacity of 

 the Newfoundland. Whether he really deserved all 

 the good things that were said of him is a matter of 

 opinion, or perhaps he has degenerated in intelli- 

 gence during the past half century, for he is now 

 only as other dogs and no more. 



How he came to be so intimately connected with 

 the island in North America from which he takes his 

 name is not quite easy to make out. Possibly he 

 might have been introduced to that country from 

 England, still the dog common to the island a 

 couple of generations ago was very far removed 

 from the handsome creature we see gracing our 

 show benches at the present time. 



One would not be surprised to find the St. Bernard 

 and the Newfoundland did originally spring pretty 

 much from a similar cross. Occasionally we still 

 see one of the former variety by his colour and 

 general appearance nearly approaching the latter in 

 appearance, and vice versa, especially when, as 

 sometimes happens, the Newfoundland has brindled 

 marks about his head. We are told that an actual 

 use for this variety of dog was found by the poorer 

 inhabitants of Newfoundland, who in lieu of horses 

 harnessed him to their carts and in other ways made 

 him a beast of burden, when they were not engaged 



