50 SECOND DIVISION OF THE 



We must not, however, do it injustice ; it is very intelligent, and truly 

 attached to its owner. 



The barbet possesses more sagacity than most other dogs, but it is 

 sagacity of a particular kind, and frequently connected with various 

 amusing tricks. Mr. Jesse, in his Gleanings in Natural History, gives 

 a singular illustration of this. A friend of his had a barbet that was not 

 always under proper command. In order to keep him in better order, 

 he purchased a small whip, with which he corrected him once or twice 

 during a walk. On his return the whip was put on a table in the hall, 

 but on the next morning it was missing. It was soon afterwards found 

 concealed in an out-building, and again made use of in correcting the dog. 

 Once more it would have been lost, but, on watching the dog, who was 

 suspected of having stolen it, he was seen to take it from the hall table 

 in order to hide it once more. 



THE MALTESE DOG 



can be traced back to an early period. Strabo says that " there is a town 

 in Sicily called Melita, whence are exported many beautiful dogs called 

 Canes Melitcei. They were the peculiar favourites of the women ; but 

 now (A.D. 25) there is less account made of these animals, which are not 

 bigger than common ferrets or weasels, yet they are not small in under- 

 standing nor unstable in their love." They are also found in Malta and 

 in other islands of the Mediterranean, and they maintain the same character 

 of being devotedly aifectionate to their owners, while, it is added, and 

 they are not loved the less for that, they are ill-tempered to strangers. 



THE LION DOG 



is a diminutive likeness of the noble animal whose name it bears. Its 

 head, neck, shoulders, and fore-legs down to the very feet, are covered 

 with long, wavy, silky hairs. On the other parts of the dog it is so short 

 as scarcely to be grasped, except that on the tail there is a small bush of 

 hair. The origin of this breed is not known ; it is, perhaps, an interme- 

 diate one between the Maltese and the Turkish dog. 



THE TURKISH DOG, 



as it is improperly called, is a native of hot climates. The supposition of 

 Buffon is not an improbable one, that, being taken from some temperate 

 country to one considerably hotter, the European dog probably acquired 

 some cutaneous disease. This is no uncommon occurrence in Guinea, 

 the East Indies, and South America. Some of these animals afterwards 

 found their way into Europe, and, from their singularity, care was taken to 

 multiply the breed. Aldrovandus states that the first two of them made 

 their appearance in Europe in his time, but the breed was not continued, 

 on account, as it was supposed, of the climate being too cold for them. 



The few that are occasionally seen in England bear about them every 

 mark of a degenerated race. They have no activity, and they show little 

 intelligence or affection. One singular circumstance appertains to all that 

 the author of this work has had the opportunity of seeing, their teeth 

 became very early diseased, and drop from the gums. That eminent zo- 

 ologist, Mr. Yarrell, examining, with the author of this work, one that had 

 died, certainly not more than five years old, found that it had neither 



