The Newfoundland. 81 



in fishing operations. Moreover, these poor dogs 

 were badly treated, fed on the offal of the cod fish 

 when it was procurable, and when such was not to 

 be had the poor canine had to make shift for himself, 

 and either starve or take toll from the flocks of the 

 wealthier inhabitants. 



Notwithstanding such ill-treatment, the dog re- 

 mained faithful and constant to his owner, and bore 

 the reputation as a protector of property not to be 

 excelled. For these excellences then, and not for 

 his actual beauty, was he originally produced, and 

 no doubt when some seafaring man noticed one of 

 these animals less gaunt and better furnished than 

 usual, he for a few shillings would become its 

 possessor, and bring the " foreign " dog home as a 

 present from America to his friends. When properly 

 cared for and attended to he would no doubt 

 improve in appearance, was a favourite with his 

 owners, and became as it were re-acclimatised in 

 that country from which I do not doubt his original 

 parents came. The Newfoundland is so unlike any 

 of the native bred canidcz of the northern territories 

 of America in every respect, not excepting in disposi- 

 tion, that there can be little doubt he was in 

 the first instance produced by cross-breeding with 

 European dogs, and most probably with those from 

 Great Britain, whose shipping connection with New- 



G 



