VIRTUES AND VICES OF THE DOG. n5 



two Dogs, after a friendly sniff, carry on a small conversation, before trotting on their ways, evidentlv 

 quite as fond of a little chat as Burns's celebrated " twa Dogs," who 



" Foregather' d ance upon a time 

 * * * * 



Nac doubt but they were fain o' ither, 



An' unco pack and thick thogither ; 



"VVi" social nose whylcs snuff' d and snowkit; 



Whyles mice and moudieworts * they howkit ; 



Whyles scour'd awa in lang excursion, 



An' worry' d ithcr in diversion ; 



Until wi' daffin weary grown, 



Upon a knowe they sat them down, 



And there began a lang digression 



About the lords o' the creation." 



The method of hunting in packs adopted by wild Dogs is an undoubted proof of the faculty of 

 combining together for a definite end, a number of animals agreeing to hunt a quarry, which one alone 

 would be powerless against. But there are many instances of civilised Dogs concocting plans in the 

 cleverest way, and carrying them out with a care and circumspection perfectly wonderful in a " dumb 

 animal." For instance, Mr. Romanes says : " A small Skye and a large Mongrel were in the habit of 

 hunting Hares and Babbits upon their own account, the small Dog having a good nose, and the large 

 one great fleetness. These qualities they combined in the most advantageous manner, the Terrier 

 driving the game from the cover towards his fleet-footed companion, which was waiting for it outside." 

 The same gentleman gives another and still more curious instance : 



" A friend of mine in this neighbourhood had a small Terrier and a lai-ge Newfoundland. One 

 day a shepherd called upon him to say that his Dogs had been seen worrying Sheep the night before. 

 The gentleman said there must be some mistake, as the Newfoundland had not been unchained. A 

 few days afterwards the shepherd again called with the same complaint, vehemently asserting that he was. 

 positive as to the identity of the Dogs. Consequently, the owner set one watch upon the kennel, and 

 another outside the sheep enclosure, directing them (in consequence of what the shepherd had told him) 

 not to interfere with the actions of the Dogs. After this had been done for several nights in succession, 

 the small Dog was observed to come at day-dawn to the place where the large one was chained. The 

 latter immediately slipped his collar, and the two animals made straight for the Sheep. Upon arriving 

 at the enclosure, the Newfoundland concealed himself behind a hedge, while the Terrier drove the Sheep 

 towards his ambush, and the fate of one of them was quickly sealed. When their breakfast was 

 finished, the Dogs returned home, and the large one, thrusting his head into his collar, lay down again 

 as though nothing had happened. Why this animal should have chosen to hunt by stratagem prey 

 which he could so easily have run down I cannot suggest ; but there is little doubt that so wise a Dog- 

 must have had some good reason." 



In another case we have met with, a " solemn league and covenant " was made, for purposes of 

 offence and defence, between a Dog and a Cat. A Blenheim Spaniel was taken to a strange house, and, 

 shortly after his arrival, was attacked and severely scratched by the two Cats living there. The- 

 Spaniel was no match for both antagonists at once, and so judiciously beat a retreat into the garden. 

 He there met with a Cat belonging to the gardener, and succeeded in making friends with her and pre- 

 vailing on her to join with him against his cruel enemies. The two allies then went into the house, 

 and finding one of the victorious Cats alone, attacked and defeated her. Shortly after she was put to 

 flight, victor number two entered the room ; she was also presently attacked and routed with great loss 

 by the allied forces, who were thus left masters of the field. The narrator of this talo goes on to state 

 that the Spaniel remained ever afterwards on terms of the firmest friendship with his feline helper. 



It is a subject of great interest to consider which of the virtues and vices of man himself are 

 exhibited by the Dog. We will take, first, his good qualities, and then shall " follow his vices close at 

 the heels of his virtues ;" so that we may see how many of both he can be found to possess. 



First, and most important of all, is a clear sense of right and wrong, without which no moral 



* Moles. 



