134 THE NEWFOUNDLAND DOG. 



whole fishing season, and probably still are thus 

 suffered to remain starving, diseased, and even dan- 

 gerous to the rest of the population. After that 

 period, they labour in drawing wood, fish, and mer- 

 chandise; and one dog is estimated to be able to 

 maintain his master during winter. True hydro- 

 phobia does not attack them there ; but a kind of 

 plague, originating in the neglect and misery they 

 suffer, occasionally destroys great numbers. 



THE NOOTKA DOG. 



Canis laniger nobis, H. Smith. 



We mention this breed of dogs, because it seems 

 to indicate the direction Avhence the Esquimaux 

 and the Newfoundland races are derived, and 

 thereby show that they are of Asiatic origin. The 

 Nootka is large, with pointed upright ears, docile, 

 but chiefly valuable on account of the immense 

 load of fur it bears on the back, of white, and brown, 

 and black colours, but having the woolly proportion 

 so great and fine, that it may well be called a fleece ; 

 for, when shorn off, it is sufficiently interAvoven to 

 lift the whole produce of one animal by grasping a 

 single handful. The natives spin and Avork it along 



