Natural Hi/lory of the Ancients. 3 3 



have made the fame remark to themfeJves with 

 reference to fome Englifh meep-dogs, and ftill 

 more in the cafe of feveral Continental breeds of 

 large dogs. ProfefTor Owen, however, in his 

 " Britifh Foflil Mammals," afcribes certain canine 

 bones difcovered in an Englifh bone-cave to canis 

 familiaris, and thefe are probably the earlieft 

 authentic remains of the Britifh dog. Befides 

 the numerous varieties common to England and 

 Scotland, the latter country poflefles breeds un- 

 queftionably peculiar to itfelf, as the deerhound, 

 Skye and Scotch terriers. Sir Robert Sibbald, 1 when 

 enumerating the quadrupeds of Scotland in 1684, 

 names the various kinds of dog as being, "cur, 

 fhepherd's dog, greyhound, beagle, bloodhound, 

 molofTus or Englifh maftiff, fetting-dog, water- 

 fpaniel, terrier, canis Melitenfis, a Meflin or lap- 

 dog." Dr. Caius, 2 writing in 1570, had fcarcely 

 been fo particular to aflign each dog to its own 

 country, faying amufingly enough, when his words 

 are contrafted with the fporting of the prefent 

 day: "I cal them univerfally all by the name of 

 Englifhe dogge, as well becaufe England only, as 

 it hath in it Englifh dogs, fo it is not without 

 Scottifhe, as alfo for that wee are more inclined 

 and delighted with the noble game of hunting, 

 for we Englishmen are adided and given to that 

 exercife and painefull paftime of pleafure, as well 

 for the plenty of fiefhe which our Parkes and 

 Forefts doe fofter, as alfo for the opertunitie and 



1 "Scotia Illuftrata," Edinburgh, 1684, iii. 5. 



2 "Of Englifhe Dogges," 1576 (reprinted 1880), p. 2. 



D 



