FAMILY D IGITIGEADA. TOE-TREADERS. 



25 



are named. 1. The Shepherd's Dog (C. Domesticus), eminently useful in 

 directing the course of Sheep, and in preventing them from straying. These 

 animals are frequently the sole guardians of large flocks in the grazing 

 parts of this kingdom. The same animal, slightly varied by climate, is 

 employed by the Greenlanders to draw their sledges during the long 

 winters. The number of Dogs usually employed for this purpose is five, 

 yoked in couples with a leader ; the reins are fastened to the collar, and in 

 driving the cry tagtag, tagtag, turns them to the right, whilst hougha, hougha, 

 directs them to the left; ah, ah, stops them, an ha makes them set off. 

 The driver carries a stick ornamented with iron rings, the jingling of which 

 encourages the Dogs, and when they are inattentive to their duty he throws it 

 at them, and catches it up as he passes by. The dexterity of the driver in 

 regaining the stick is a matter of considerable importance, for as soon as the 

 Dogs find that it is lost, they not unfrequently set off at full speed, and rarely 

 stop till the carriage is dashed to pieces, or themselves completely exhausted. 

 The extent of ground over which they will run is almost incredible ; they 

 have been known in three days and a half to make a journey of 270 miles. 



2. The Hound (C. Venaticus). This species includes three kinds of Bri- 

 tish Dogs: 1. The Terrier (C. Terrarius), employed in ousting Foxes from 

 their cover. A remarkable instance of the ability of the Terrier in destroying 

 Rats was formerly exhibited in a cockpit at Westminster, in which a 

 Terrier, named Billy, destroyed a hundred Rats in less than six minutes. 

 2. The Harrier (C. Leverarius), which derives its name from being employed 

 in hunting the Hare. To this division belong the Foxhound, which appears 

 to be only a larger kind, and the Beagle a smaller kind of Dog. 3. The 

 Bloodhound, the Sleuthounde of the Scots (C. Sanguinarius), a large, 

 strong, muscular, broad-breasted, stern-countenanced animal, of a deep tan 

 colour, and generally marked with a black spot above each eye ; its scent 

 is remarkably keen, and on this account it was formerly much employed in 

 finding out stolen game, and more particularly on the borders of England 

 and Scotland, in tracking those persons who might be obnoxious to their 

 neighbours from their predatory conduct. They are nearly extinct in Eng- 

 land at present. Besides the above, the Dalmatian Dog, the Turnspit, and 

 the Water Dog, belong to the same species. 



3. The Spaniel (C. Aviarius). This species includes Pointers, Setters, 

 King Charles's Dogs, and the Shock Dog. The Pointer is employed for 

 the purpose of finding game in shooting. King Charles's Dog, a beautiful 

 little animal, derives its name from having been the companion of Charles 

 II., who rarely walked out without being accompanied by several of these 

 little Spaniels. The Shock Dog is the Dog which was formerly used as a 

 lap Dog by the ladies. 



4. The Irish Greyhound (C. Graius Hibernicus), an animal now very 

 rare. It was formerly employed in hunting Wolves, but is not now fit for 

 any sporting purpose in this country. The Greyhound and the Mastiff, 

 Buffbn believes to be degenerate species of the Irish Greyhound. 



5. The Bull Dog (C. Molossus). This animal is perhaps one of the 

 fiercest and of the greatest courage in the creation ; it does not stand very 

 high, but is very strong and muscular. Its courage in seizing the Bull, 

 which it always endeavours to do, by darting at his muzzle, or pinning him, 

 as it is technically called, is well known. It is not so common in England 

 now as it was formerly, when the inhuman and brutalizing sport of Bull- 

 baiting was in popular favour. From the Bull Dog is descended the Pug 

 Dog and the Egyptian Naked Dog. 



6. The Newfoundland Dog (C. Terras Novas), which is known by its 

 height, standing between two and three feet from the ground ; his hair long 

 and silky, and his tail covered with long hair, and generally curled over his 

 back ; his coat black and white ; but the most remarkable circumstance 

 about him is, that the spaces between his toes are completely webbed so as 

 to render him an excellent swimmer. These dogs are very tractable, are 

 easily taught, and are very sagacious. In the island of Newfoundland and 

 in Canada, these Dogs are employed for draught, being harnessed to sledges 

 or small carts, and frequently perform their task without a driver : as soon 

 as they have delivered their load, they return home, and are rewarded with 

 some dried fish, of which they are very fond. 



Under the same head the different species of the Wolf tribe are classed. 



The Wolf (C. Lupus) Plate 7 is somewhat taller than a large Grey- 

 hound ; head long ; nose pointed ; ears erect and sharp ; tail straight and 

 shaggy ; its tip black ; legs long, and the fore legs marked with a black 

 stripe ; hair longish, of a greyish-yellow colour, and in the northern parts 

 of the globe becoming whitish during the winter. It inhabits the continents 

 of Europe, Asia, and America, and was formerly very common in England 

 and Ireland, but is now completely extirpated, the last having been killed 

 in Ireland in 1710. This is a cruel, cowardly animal, except when pressed 

 by hunger, when it will attack even men. They are exceedingly inimical 

 to Dogs, and bite very hard. When hunted, it is usual to protect the 

 Dogs' necks with collars armed with iron spikes. There is a species of 

 Wolf Fox at the Falkland Islands, whose tameness and curiosity is recorded 

 by Byron, and corroborated by Mr. Darwin (Journal, p. 193) : " they have 

 been observed," he says, " to enter a tent and actually pull some meat from 

 beneath the head of a sleeping seaman. The Gauchos also have frequently 

 in the evening killed them, by holding out a piece of meat in one hand, and 

 in the other a knife ready to stick them." 



The Jackal (C. Aureus) is very similar in shape to the Wolf, but not so 

 large. It inhabits the warm parts of Asia and Africa, hunts in packs in 

 full cry, from night to morning, and carries off sheep and poultry. Its bark 

 is a kind of howl. When taken young it is easily tamed, and even when 

 wild it readily associates with Dogs. It is vulgarly called the Lion's Pro- 

 vider, but all the use it seems to be to the Lion is that of disturbing the 

 more timid inhabitants of the forest, whilst he being on the watch seizes 

 such as he may choose. 



The second division embraces the varieties of the Fox tribe. (PI. 7.) 



The Fox (C. Vulpes) is found in almost every part of the world ; and 

 is well known as a most mischievous animal. It has a sharp nose, broad 

 head, lively eyes, body long, of a yellowish-red colour, but subject to great 

 variety on that point ; tail straight, nearly as long as the body, and very 

 bushy, tipped with white. In England there are three varieties, the Grey- 

 hound, the Mastiff, and the Cur Fox ; these differ but little, except in size 

 and some trifling variety of colour. 



The other varieties are the Cross Fox, Northern ; the Brant Fox, from 

 Pennsylvania; the Karagan, from Tartary; the Corsac Fox, from the 

 Crimea; the Fulvous-necked Fox, North America ; the Black Fox, Siberia ; 

 and the Cape Fox, Cape of Good Hope. 



The Fox is very destructive to poultry and game ; it is also very fond of 

 grapes, and does an immense deal of mischief -in those countries where there 

 are vineyards. 



The last we shall notice is the Fennek, of Bruce (Plate 7), the C. Zerda 

 of Pennant. It is a small species, with woolly hair extending beneath the 

 toes ; it belongs perhaps to this genus, but it is impossible to give it any 

 proper place, as but little is known about it. 



HYJEXA. The Hyamas have a general resemblance to the Dog, but are 

 easily distinguished by the greater length of their fore legs, and the hog-like 

 mane which extends more or less along the back ; they are morose and 

 vicious in their appearance, voracious, but very cowardly. They pass the 

 greater part of the day hi holes, which they dig for themselves, or in clefts 

 or caverns of rocks, from which they sally out in search of prey ; and if 

 they cannot find any living animal, will satiate themselves on a dead car- 

 case, however putrid, devouring it bones and all ; and should this carrion 

 fail, will tear up graves in order to satiate their ravenous appetite. Their 

 gait is awkward, and when they are first disturbed they limp much in 

 running, but after a short distance they gallop off very swiftly. 



Plate 8 contains a figure of the Striped Hycena (H. Vulgaris), an animal 

 about the size of a large Dog, and very strongly made. It has a peculiar 

 cry, said to resemble in its commencement the moaning of the human voice, 

 and ending like a person endeavouring to vomit. This animal is a native of 

 the Caucasian and Altaic chain of mountains, Asiatic Turkey, Syria, Persia, 

 Barbary, Senegal, and the Cape of Good Hope, but here they are not very 

 numerous. The Arabs, when they kill the Hyaaia, bury the head to pre- 

 vent it from being used for magical purposes. 



