222 PECULIARITIES OF THE WILD DOG. 



the bank, and was instantly overboard and after 

 them, swimming so rapidly that she had reached 

 the land, and, though herself only the size of a large 

 dog-fox, had pulled down a fine ram before a party 

 could get on shore to prevent her. When they 

 landed, instead of trying to make her escape, she 

 slunk into the boat. This freak of hers cost me 

 five pounds. 



In cold weather her coat was always best, and the 

 brush on her tail most perfect. She was of a light 

 tan colour, with a little white on the tip of 

 the tail, and a few black hairs sprinkled in the 

 brush ; there was a little black also about her face. 

 Her step was light and stealthy ; and in her eye 

 meekness and cunning were curiously blended. 

 Though very shy of man, when once taken up in 

 the arms she lay as quiet as a cat ; but with all dogs 

 she was very quarrelsome, fighting savagely with 

 a greyhound bitch I had on board, and several 

 times nearly killing a small dog. It was always 

 difficult to catch her, as she would generally manage 

 to escape either between the legs or by springing 

 over the shoulders, except when we were going on 

 shore ; then she would allow herself very quietly to 

 be put into the boat ; but on our return the diffi- 

 culty was how to get her off, and it became necessary 

 to pounce upon her suddenly. She was never heard 

 to bark, the only noise she ever made being the 

 dismal howl peculiar to her breed, and this only 

 when tied up, which consequently, for the sake of 

 peace, was but of short duration, and always had to 



