VARIETIES OF THE DOG. 27 



rally white, marked with numerous small round black or reddish-brown 

 spots. The Dalmatian is said to be used in his native country for the 

 chace, to be easily broken, and stanch to his work. He has never been 

 thus employed in England, but is chiefly distinguished by his fondness for 

 horses, and as being the frequent attendant on the carriages of the 

 wealthy. To that its office seems to be confined ; for it rarely develops 

 sufficient sense or sagacity to be useful in any of the ordinary offices of 

 the dog. 



THE FRENCH M^TIN 



(Canis laniarius). There is considerable difficulty in describing this 

 variety. The French consider it as the progenitor of all the breeds of 

 dogs that resemble and yet cannot be perfectly classed with the greyhound. 

 It should rather be considered as a species in which are included a variety 

 of dogs, the Albanian, the Danish, the Irish greyhound, and almost the 

 pure British greyhound. The head is elongated and the forehead flat, 

 the ears pendulous towards the tips, and the colour of a yellowish fawn. 

 This is the usual sheep-dog in France, in which country he is also em- 

 ployed as a house-dog. He discharges his duty most faithfully ; and, not- 

 withstanding his flat forehead, shows himself to possess a very high degree 

 of intelligence. 



THE GREYHOUND. 



We find no mention of this dog in the early Grecian records. The 

 pugnaces and the sagaces are mentioned; but the celeres the swift- 

 footed are not spoken of as a peculiar breed. The Celtic .nations, the 

 inhabitants of the northern continent of Europe and the Western Islands, 

 were then scarcely known, and the swift-footed dogs were peculiar to 

 those tribes. They were not, however, introduced into the more southern 

 parts of Europe until after the dissolution of the Roman commonwealth. 



The dog is, however, mentioned by Ovid ; and his description of coursing 

 the hare is so accurate that we cannot refrain from inserting it. We se- 

 lect a translation of it from Golding. 



" I gat me to the knap 



Of this same hill, and there behelde of this strange course the hap, 

 In which the beaste seemes one while caught, and ere a man would thinke 

 Doth quickly give the grewnd a the slip, and from his biting shrinke ; 

 And, like a wilie fox, he runs not forth directly out, 

 Nor makes a winlas over all the champion fields about, 

 But, doubling and indenting, still avoydes his enemie's lips, 

 An turning short, as swift about as spinning wheele he wips, 

 To disappoint the snatch. The grewnd, pursuing at an inch, 

 Doth cote b him, never loosing. Continually he snatches 

 In vaine, but nothing in his mouth, save only hair, he catches." 



There is another sketch by the same poet : 



" As when th' impatient greyhound, slipped from far, 

 Bounds o'er the glade to course the tearful hare, 

 She in her speed does all her safety lay, 

 And he with double speed pursues the prey ; 

 O'erruns her at the sitting turn, but licks 

 His chaps in vain, yet blows upon the flix ; 

 She seeks the shelter, which the neighbouring covert gives, 

 And, gaining it, she doubts if yet she lives." 



Greyhound. b Overcast, or overrun. c Ovid, Metamorph., lib. i. v, 353. 



