224 



V E ii T E B R A T A . 



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THE POODLE. 



lantly and nobly there; but the moment he was dismissed, he would scamper home, gaze upon 

 his master, and lay himself down at his feet. In one of these excursions he was shot. He crawled 

 home, reached his master's feet, and expired in the act of licking his hand." 



The Poodle. — The particular cross from which this dog descended is unknown, but the variety 

 produced lias Keen carefully preserved. It is probably of continental origin, and is known by its 

 thick curly hair, concealing almost every part of the face, and giving it the appearance of a short, 

 thick, unintelligent skull. When, however, the hair is removed, there is still the large head; 

 but there is also the cerebral cavity more capacious than in any other dog, and the frontal sinuses 

 fully developed, and exhibiting every indication of the intellectual class to which it belongs. It 

 was originally a water-dog, as its long and curly hair, and its propensities in its domesticated 

 state, prove; but from its peculiar sagacity, it is capable of being trained to almost any useful 

 purpose, and its strong individual attachment renders it more the companion of man than a mere 

 sporting dog; indeed, its qualities as a sporting dog are seldom recognized by its owner. 



These dogs have far more courage than the water-spaniel, all the sagacity of the Newfound- 

 land, more general talent, if the expression may be used, and more individual attachment than 

 either of them, and without the fawning of the one, or the submissiveness of the other. The 

 poodle seems conscious of his worth, and there is often a quiet dignity accompanying his demon- 

 stration- of friendship. 



This dog, however, possesses a very peculiar kind of intelligence. It will almost perform the 



com n offices of a servant: it will ring the bell and open the door. Mr. Wilkie, of Ladythorn, 



in Northumberland, had a poodle which he had instructed to go through all the apparent agonies 

 of dying, lie would tall on one side, stretch himself out, and move his hind-legs as if he were in 

 greai pain: lie would next simulate the convulsive throbs of departing life, and then stretch out 

 In- limbs, and thus seem as it' he had expired. In this situation he would remain motionless, 

 until he had his master's command to rise. 



A ] 11 -cupies aii interesting place in the history of the Peninsular war. lie belonged to 



a French officer, who was killed at the battle of Castella. The French were compelled to retreat 

 before tiny could hury their dead, and the soldiers wished to carry with them this regimental 

 favorite, hut he would not he forced from the corpse of his master. Some soldiers afterward tra- 

 versing the field of battle, one of them discovered the cross of the Legion of Honor on the breast 

 <>f tin' fallen officer, and stooped to take it away, when the dog flew savagely at him, and would 

 not quit his hold, until tiie bayonet of another soldier laid him lifeless. 



