316 Modern Dogs. 



became, although they bore the reputation of being 

 ferocious and ill-natured. The Italians sometimes 

 called them botoli, because, though small, they were 

 ferocious and bad-tempered, botolo being an old Italian 

 word meaning a quarrelsome little cur, or a worth- 

 less, degenerate little dog. 



The value of a good specimen of this animal was 

 such that Aldrovandus says he had seen one sold for 

 ^400 ! This was, probably, at Bologna, during our 

 Elizabethan period. But the value of money at 

 that time and in that place is no criterion as to 

 its value in English money at that date or now. 



The same author also furnishes us with some 

 interesting little pieces of information as to the 

 breeding and rearing of these diminutive creatures, 

 giving an insight into the arts of the dog fancier 

 of that day, which appeared to be plied with as much 

 care and skill as is the custom at the present time, 

 the Kennel Club notwithstanding. 



In the first place it is said that owing to the 

 smallness of the best Maltese dogs, they could with 

 difficulty be induced to breed, and when such was 

 the case they were fed on hot foods. Then the 

 bitches often died during pupping, and care was taken 

 in breeding that only the very tiniest dogs were used 

 to bigger animals of the opposite sex. A quaint 

 idea was in vogue that when the bitch, in whelp, 



