112 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS. [CHAP. xiv. 



these men, who was in the habit of wiring hares, and though 

 the keepers knew of his malpractices, they were for some time 

 unable to catch him in the act, in consequence of his always 

 placing his three dogs as videttes in different directions, to warn 

 him of the approach of any person. A herd-boy at the farm 

 near my house puts his dog to a curious use. A great part of 

 his flock are sent to pasture on the carse-ground across the river, 

 and when the boy does not want to go across to count them and 

 see that they are all right, deterred from doing so by the water 

 being flooded, or from any other reason, he sends his dog to 

 swim across and collect the sheep on the opposite bank, where 

 he can see them all distinctly. Though there are other sheep 

 on the carse belonging to different people, the dog only brings 

 his own flock. After they are counted and pronounced to be all 

 right by the boy, the dog swims back again to his master. 



Were I to relate the numberless anecdotes of dogs that have 

 been told me, I could fill a volume. 



I am often amused by observing the difference of temper and 

 disposition which is shown by my own dogs as great a differ- 

 ence, indeed, as would be perceived among the same number of 

 human beings. 



Having for many years been a great collector of living pets, 

 there is always a vast number of these hangers-on about the 

 house some useful, some ornamental, and some neither the one 

 nor the other. 



Opposite one window of the room I am in at present are a 

 monkey and five dogs basking in the sun, a bloodhound, a Skye 

 terrier, a setter, a Russian poodle, and a young Newfoundland 

 bitch, who is being educated as a retriever; they all live in great 

 friendship with the monkey, who is now in the most absurd 

 manner searching the poodle's coat for fleas, lifting up curl by 

 curl, and examining the roots of the hair. Occasionally, if she 

 thinks that she has pulled the hair, or lifted one of his legs rather 

 too roughly, she looks the dog in the face with an inquiring ex- 

 pression to see if he is angry. The dog, however, snems rather 

 to enjoy the operation, and showing no symptoms of displeasure, 

 the monkey continues his search, and when she sees a flea catches 

 it in the most active manner, looks at it for a moment, and then 

 eats it with great relish. Having exhausted the game on the 



