THE LYC1SCAN GROUP. 711 



neighbouring alehouse. Some of them have been known, 

 by themselves, to conduct a flock of sheep, or herd of cattle, 

 through a crowded city to the pen or yard to which they had 

 been in use to go. But they are much more rude and harsh 

 towards their charge than the genuine sheep-dogs. They 

 do not hesitate to inflict wounds, when necessary to urge on- 

 ward the terrified and exhausted flock. This difference be- 

 tween their habits and those of the shepherd's dog is the 

 result of the peculiar employment of each. The shepherd's 

 dog is the guardian of the flocks, and fulfils the duties as- 

 signed to him ; the drover's dog is a jailor, conducting an 

 unwilling charge to the slaughter-house. 



Allied to the Lyciscan group, are likewise numerous other 

 dogs, more or less mixed in blood. Such are the dogs termed 

 Curs, which are frequently the offspring of the shepherd's 

 dog and terrier ; the Lurcher, which is the product of a shep- 

 herd's dog or barbet and the greyhound ; the Ban-dog, in 

 which the blood of the bull-dog is to be recognised ; and such 

 are many more which do not admit of classification. 



But there is a race of dogs of mixed descent, yet so allied 

 in blood to the Wolf, that he may be referred to the Lycis- 

 can type. This is the Great Dog of Newfoundland, whose 

 parent stock appears to be the Wolf-dog of Labrador, but 

 which itself, there is reason to believe, has been formed bv 

 a mixture of this race, and some of the larger dogs of Europe. 



The Island of Newfoundland stretches from the icy shores 

 of Labrador, from which it is separated by a narrow strait 

 about twelve miles broad, across the Gulf of St Lawrence for 

 nearly 400 miles, having to the south-east the vast submarine 

 bed of rock and sand termed the Bank of Newfoundland. The 

 Island towards the coast is rocky, and indented on every side 

 by arms of the sea extending inland. In the interior it is 

 wild and rugged, mostly covered with forests of dwarf pine 

 and firs, and filled with innumerable marshes, pools, and 

 lakes, whence streamlets and rivers, swarming with fishes, 

 take their rise. It was discovered by John Cabot on the 



