HYDROPHOBIA. 311 



But when he is forced to return again to earth he mistrusts his fore-limbs, and alights 

 upon his hinder feet, making one or two small leaps upon those members before he ven- 

 tures to place his fore-feet on the ground. When he is accompanying his master 

 in the fields, and comes to a gate or a gap in a wall, he dares not leap through the 

 aperture, as most Dogs would do, but hops up, and then down again, upon his hind-feet 

 alone. 



The real Bull-terrier of the first cross is a marvellously brave animal, falling but lit- 

 tle short in courage from his bull-dog ancestor, and very far exceeding that animal in 

 agility and intellectual quickness. Fear seems to make no part of a good Bull-terrier's 

 character ; and he dashes with brilliant audacity at any foe which his master may in- 

 dicate to him, or which he thinks he ought to attack without orders. Mr. Andersson, 

 in his valuable work entitled " Lake Ngami," gives an account of the courage and 

 sagacity of one of these animals which accompanied him in his travels through South- 

 western Africa. He had wounded a rhinoceros, which ran a few hundred yards, and 

 then came to a stand. 



" At break of day my men went on his trail. He had still strength enough to make 

 a dash at them ; and would probably have laid hold of some of them, had not a small 

 bitch (half Terrier and half bull-dog, called Venus, in derision of her ugliness) caught 

 the enraged animal by the lower lip, where she stuck with such tenacity that the 

 rhinoceros, with all his fury, was unable to shake her off. She only relinquished her 

 hold when her huge antagonist was fairly laid prostrate by a ball. 



" But the sagacity of this favorite Dog was as great as her courage. Being now in a 

 game country, all sorts of beasts of prey abounded, more especially jackals, which might 

 be seen running about by dozens. In order not to frighten the elephants, and other 

 large animals, we were in the habit of encamping some little way from the water, to 

 which Miss Venus regularly resorted to bathe and drink. On perceiving a jackal she 

 instantly crouched, looking very timid. Reynard, mistaking her posture for an indica- 

 tion of fear, and probably thinking that from her diminutive size she would prove an 

 easy conquest, boldly approached his supposed victim. But he had reckoned without 

 his host, for the instant that the cunning Dog found her antagonist sufficiently near, 

 she leaped like a cat at his throat, and, once there, the beast had no chance. 



" She then returned to camp, where her contented looks and bleeding jaws soon 

 attracted the attention of the men, who immediately went on her track and brought 

 the jackal, who was valued on account of his fur." 



The quaint-looking SKYE TERRIER has of late years been much affected by all classes 

 of Dog-owners, and for many reasons deserves the popularity which it has obtained. 



When of pure breed the legs are very short, and the body extremely long in propor- 

 tion to the length of limb ; the neck is powerfully made, but of considerable length, 

 and the head is also rather elongated, so that the total length of the animal is three 

 times as great as its height. The " dew-claws " are wanting in this variety of domestic 

 Dog. The hair is long and straight, falling heavily over the body and limbs, and hang- 

 ing so thickly upon the face that the eyes and nose are hardly perceptible under their 

 luxuriant covering. The quality of the hair is rather harsh and wiry in the pure-bred 

 Skye Terrier ; for the silky texture of the generality of " toy " Skyes is obtained by a 

 cross with the spaniel. It is easy to detect the presence of this cross by the scanty 

 appearance of the hair on the face. 



The size of this animal is rather small, but it ought not to imitate the minute 

 proportions of many " toy " Dogs. Its weight ought to range from ten to seventeen or 

 eighteen pounds. Even amongst these animals there are at least two distinct breeds, 

 while some Dog-fanciers establish a third. 



It is an amusing and clever Dog, and admirably adapted for the companionship of 

 mankind, being faithful and affectionate in disposition, and as brave as any of its 

 congeners, except that epitome of courage, the bull-dog. Sometimes, though not 

 frequently, it is employed for sporting purposes, and is said to pursue that avocation 

 with great credit. 



A HISTORY, however short, of the Dogs would be incomplete without some reference 



