288 THE DALMATIAN OR COACH DOG. 



length brought him out from his retreat, from which he was followed by his friend the 

 bull terrier. 



The two jogged along very pleasantly and cheerfully, my Dog. evidently paying 

 marked attention to his friend. When we approached the locality of the shambles my 

 Dog ran along in front, whilst the bull terrier followed behind, and both looked as 

 though * up ' to something. Opposite the shambles the terrier rushed out upon my Dog, 

 which retreated with wonderful precipitancy behind his friend, who at once collared the 

 assailant, and tumbled him over and over to the tune of the joyful barks of my old cur, 

 which had evidently made the preliminary arrangements with his friend for this scene." 



The same Dog was once taught a useful lesson in a singular manner. His master 

 is an officer, and during the time when he possessed the Dog was annoyed by its con- 

 stant intrusion into the mess-room when breakfast was on the table. Nothing could 

 keep the Dog away from the tempting tables with their savory viands, and as each 

 member of the mess was liable to a fine every time that his Dog entered the room it was 

 clear that these pertinacious intrusions must be stopped. 



One morning the Dog crept into the room, after its custom, and fortunately there was 

 no one at breakfast except its master. Attracted by the ham and fowls that lay so 

 temptingly on the table, the Dog stealthily approached them, and stood pointing at the 

 longed-for food, with watering mouth and eager eye. Seeing the Dog's attention thus 

 occupied, his master slily tilted the teapot, so as to let a slender stream of the hot 

 liquid trickle on the Dog's back. At first, its faculties were so absorbed in contemplation 

 of the forbidden dainties, that it only acknowledged the hot liquid by a nervous 

 twitching of the skin. As soon, however, as the fur was saturated, and the full effects 

 of the boiling tea made themselves felt, the Dog sprang up with a yell of astonishment, 

 and dashed howling through the door. Ever after its adventure with the teapot, no 

 inducement could tempt the animal to enter that room, or come fairly within the thresh- 

 old, and even if a chicken bone were held out as a bait the poor Dog would only 

 lick its lips, and put on a plaintive and beseeching look as an appeal to the humanity 

 of its tempter. 



THE DALMATIAN DOG is even better known as a carriage or coach Dog than the 

 Danish Dog, which has already been described and figured. Its shape is very like that 

 of the pointer, but the artificially shortened ears give it a different aspect. 



The ground color of this animal's fur is nearly white, and is richly crossed with 

 black spots, earning for it, in common with the Danish Dog, the title of " Plum-pud- 

 ding." The height of this animal is about twenty-four or twenty-five inches. Some 

 years ago, the Dalmatian Dog was very frequently seen in attendance upon the carriage 

 of its owner, scampering along in high glee by the side of the vehicle, or running just 

 in front of the horses, apparently in imminent danger of being knocked over every 

 moment. Now, however, the creature has lost its hold on the fashionable world, and 

 is but seldom seen. 



This animal is seldom if ever permitted to be the constant companion of its master, 

 and has therefore but little of that humanly intelligent look which marks the counte- 

 nance of the companionable poodle or spaniel, and gives to the animal a certain sem- 

 blance of its master. 



We may see in every country a singular similitude between the human inhabitants ot" 

 the land and the various animals which tread the same earth and breathe the same air. 

 So we find that the countries which are the most productive of ferocious animals are 

 most productive of ferocious men : the Lion of Africa, the Tiger of India, the Grizzly 

 Bear of America, the Polar Bear of the northern regions, being but lower types of the 

 destructive humanity that prevails in those portions of the globe. 



As this subtle bond of similar affections is found to pervade the wild animals and 

 the human inhabitants of the same country, it is but natural that when the man and 

 the brute are drawn closer together by domestication, and the higher Being enabled to 

 pour its influence upon the lower, the similarity in their character should be still more 

 apparent. 



