VARIETIES OF THE DOG. 21 



Every domesticated dog coming within their reach was immediately 

 destroyed. One that was brought to England broke his chain scoured 

 the surrounding country and, before dawn, had destroyed several sheep ; 

 and another attacked, and would have destroyed, an ass, if he had not 

 been prevented. 



Mr. Oxley, Surveyor General of New South Wales, however, gives an 

 interesting account of the mutual attachment between two of the native 

 and wild New Holland dingos. " About a week ago we killed a native 

 dog, and threw his body on a small bush. On returning past the same 

 spot to-day, we found the body removed three or four yards from the bush, 

 and the female in a dying state lying close beside it : she had apparently 

 been there from the day the dog was killed. Being now so weakened and 

 emaciated as to be unable to move on our approach, it was deemed a mercy 

 to despatch her." 



When Van Diemen Land began to be colonized by Europeans, the 

 losses sustained by the settlers by the ravages of the wild dogs were 

 almost incredible. The districts infested by these animals were principally 

 those appropriated to sheep, and there was scarcely a flock that did not 

 suffer. It was in vain to double the number of shepherds, to watch by 

 night and by day, or to have fires at every quarter of the fold ; for these 

 animals would accomplish their object by stratagem or by force. One 

 colony lost no fewer than 1200 sheep and lambs in three months ; another 

 colony lost 700. 



The ravagers were either the native wild dogs of the island, or those 

 that had escaped from their owners. They seemed to have apportioned 

 the country into different districts, each troop having its allotted range. 

 At length the evil became so great that a general meeting of the colonists 

 was convened. The concluding sentences of the speech of Lieutenant 

 Hill forcibly express the extent of the evil. (( The country is free from 

 bush-rangers : we are no longer surrounded and threatened by the 

 natives. We have only one enemy left in the field ; but that enemy strikes 

 at the very root of our welfare, and through him the stream of our pros- 

 perity is tainted at its very source." The colonists were then few, but 

 they cordially united in the endeavour to extirpate this formidable 

 enemy ; and, although the wild dog is still found in the interior of the 

 island, he is comparatively seldom seen, and his ravages have nearly 

 ceased. 



THE CANIS ATJSTRALIS KARARAHE, NEW ZEALAND DOG. 



A tradition exists in New Zealand of this dog having been given to the 

 natives two or three centuries ago by a number of divinities who made 

 their descent on these shores, probably Juan Fernandez and his com- 

 panions. The sagacious animal has, however, dwindled down to the 

 lowest rank of his family, but ill usage has not altogether destroyed his 

 worth. In New Zealand he is the safeguard of every village. Should the 

 slightest alarm exist, he is the first to ascertain the cause of it, and many 

 families have saved themselves by flight, or have taken arms in self- 

 defence against the incursions of predatory bands. The New Zealanders 

 are therefore kind in^ their treatment of the dog, except that they occa- 

 sionally destroy him for his hide. 



The name formerly given to the New Zealand dog was pero, which in 

 some measure substantiates the supposition of Juan Fernandez having 



