NEW ZEALAND DOGS. 211 



perhaps a little fish, must be given the dog, and as 

 the breeds from Europe are fed on animal substances, 

 they are never eaten. 



To Mr. Frederick Bennet we are indebted for a 

 note on these dogs, which we here insert. " Amongst 

 the Society Islands, the aboriginal dog, which was 

 formerly eaten as a delicacy by the natives, is now 

 extinct, or merged into mongrel breeds by proj^aga- 

 tion with many exotic varieties. At the Sandwich 

 group, where the inhabitants have been more re- 

 markable for the use of this animal as food, and 

 where that custom is yet pertinaciously retained 

 (owing probably to the scarcity of swine and spon- 

 taneous fruits of the earth), the pure breed of the 

 Poe dog has been better protected; and although 

 becoming yearly more scarce, examples of it are yet 

 to be met with in all the islands, but principally as 

 a delicacy for the use of the chiefs. As late as 

 October 1835, I noticed, in the populous and well 

 civilized town of Honoruru at Oahu, a skinned dog 

 suspended at the door of a house of entertainment 

 for natives, to denote what sumptuous fare might be 

 obtained within." That gentleman then proceeds to 

 give a similar description of the appearance of the 

 dog as above indicated, making it equal in size to a 

 terrier, with a dull expression of countenance; tail 

 straight or slightly curled, a brown livery, and 

 having a feeble but shrill bark ; it is gentle, indo- 

 lent, and in aspect presents the mixed forms of a 

 fox-dog, turnspit, and terrier. 



Those of New Zealand, according to Forster, are 



