102 THIRD DIVISION OF THE 



then, incited by natural propensity, or the example of the older ones, or 

 urged on by the huntsman, he begins to discharge his supposed duty. 



An old terrier is brought to the mouth of the earth in which a vixen fox 

 a fox with her young ones has taken up her abode, and is sent in to 

 worry and drive her out. Some young terriers are brought to the mouth 

 of the hover, to listen to the process that is going forward within, and to 

 be excited to the utmost extent of which they are capable. The vixen is 

 at length driven out, and caught at the mouth of the hole ; and the young 

 ones are suffered to rush in, and worry or destroy their first prey. They 

 want no after-tuition to prepare them for the discharge of their duty. 



This may be pardoned. It is the most ready way of training the 

 young dog to his future business ; but it is hoped that no reader of this work 

 will be guilty of the atrocities that are often practised. An old fox, or 

 badger, is caught, his under jaw is sawn off, and the lower teeth are for- 

 cibly extracted, or broken. A hole is then dug in the earth, or a barrel 

 is placed large and deep enough to permit a terrier, or perliaps two of them, 

 to enter. Into this cavity the fox or badger is thrust, and a terrier rushes 

 after him, and drags him out again. The question to be ascertained is, 

 how many times in a given period the dog will draw this poor tortured 

 animal out of the barrel an exhibition of cruelty which no one should be 

 able to lay to the charge of any human being. It is a principle not to bt 

 departed from, that wanton and useless barbarity should never be per- 

 mitted. The government, to a certain extent, has interfered, and a noble 

 society has been established to limit, or, if possible, to prevent the infliction 

 of useless pain. 



The terrier is, however, a valuable dog, in the house and the farm. The 

 stoat, the pole-cat, and the weazel, commit great depredations in the fields, 

 the barn, and granary ; and to a certain extent, the terrier is employed in 

 chasing or destroying them ; but it is not often that he has a fair chance to 

 attack them. He is more frequently used in combating the rat. 



The mischief effected by rats is almost incredible. It has been said that, 

 in some cases, in the article of corn, these animals consume a quantity of 

 food equal in value to the rent of the farm. Here the dog is usefully em- 

 ployed, and in his very element, especially if there is a cross of the bull-dog 

 about him. 



There are some extraordinary accounts of the dexterity, as well as 

 courage, of the terrier in destroying rats. The feats of a dog called " Billy" 

 will be long remembered. He was matched to destroy one hundred large 

 rats in eight and a half minutes. The rats were brought into the ring in 

 bags, and, as soon as the number was complete, he was put over the rail- 

 ing. In six minutes and thirty-five seconds they were all destroyed. In 

 another match he destroyed the same number in six minutes and thirteen 

 seconds. At length, when he was getting old, and had but two teeth and 

 one eye left, a wager was laid of thirty sovereigns, by the owner of a 

 Berkshire bitch, that she would kill fifty rats in less time than Billy. The 

 old dog killed his fifty in five minutes and six seconds. The pit was then 

 cleared, and the bitch let in. When she had killed thirty rats, she was 

 completely exhausted, fell into a fit, and lay barking and yelping, utterly 

 incapable of completing her task. 



The speed of the terrier is very great. One has been known to run six 

 miles in thirty-two minutes. He needs to be a fleet dog if, with his com- 

 paratively little bulk, he can keep up with the foxhound. 



