ANECDOTES ABOUT DOGS 329 



with that of the dog, tightly clasped in his arms, thus 

 dragging both to the bottom." 



The sagacity of the Poodle is well known, and their 

 aptitude to learn tricks. Mr. Wilkie, of Ladiethorn, in 

 Northumberland, had one he had instructed to go 

 through all the apparent agonies of death. He would 

 fall on his side, stretch himself out and move his hind 

 legs as if he were in great pain ; he would next simulate 

 the convulsive throbs of departing life, and then 

 stretch out his limbs, and thus seem as if he had ex- 

 pired; in this position he would remain motionless, 

 until he heard his master's command to rise. 



Jesse, in his " Gleanings in Natural History," 

 gives another illustration of the intelligence of this 

 breed. A friend of his had one that was not always 

 under proper command. To keep him in better order 

 he purchased a small whip, with which he, once 

 or twice, corrected him during a walk. On his return 

 the whip was put on a table in the hall, but the next 

 morning it was missing. Soon afterwards it was found 

 concealed in an outhouse, and again used in correcting 

 the dog. Once more it would have been lost, but on a 

 strict watch being kept upon the suspected dog, he was 

 seen to take it away from the hall table in order to once 

 more hide it away. 



There are endless stories told of the life sav- 

 ing qualities of Newfoundland dogs. I will here 

 mention two of them. A German was travelling 

 one evening on foot through the Dyke country in Hol- 

 land, accompanied by a large specimen of this breed, 

 walking on a high bank which formed one side of a 



