HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 333 



riage is overturned and dashed to pieces, or hurried 

 down a precipice. 



In December, 1 784, a Dog was left by a smuggling 

 vessel, near Boomer, on the coast of Northumber- 

 land. Finding himself deserted, he began to worry 

 Sheep ; and did so much damage, that he became 

 the terror of the country within a circuit of about 

 twenty miles. We are assured, that \vhen he caught 

 a Sheep, he bit a hole in its right side, and after 

 eating the tallow about the kidnies, left it : several 

 of them, thus lacerated, were found alive by the 

 shepherds ; and being taken proper care of, some 

 of them recovered, and afterwards had lambs. From 

 his delicacy in this respect, the destruction he made 

 may in some measure be conceived ; as it may be 

 supposed, that the fat of one Sheep in a day would 

 hardly satisfy his hunger. The farmers were so 

 much alarmed by his depredations, that various 

 means were used for his destruction. They fre- 

 quently pursued him with Hounds, Greyhounds, 

 &c. ; but when the Dogs came up with him, he 

 laid down on his back, as if supplicating for mercy; 

 and in this position they never hurt him : he there- 

 fore laid quietly, taking his rest till the hunters 

 approached, when he made off without being fol- 

 lowed by the Hounds, till they were again excited 

 to the pursuit, which always terminated unsuccess- 

 fully. It is worthy of notice, that he was one day 

 pursued from Howick to upwards of thirty miles 

 distance : but returned thither and killed Sheep the 

 same evening. His constant residence, during the 

 day, was upon a rock on the Heugh Hill, near 

 Howick, where he had a view of four roads that 

 approached it; and in March, 1785, after many 

 fruitless attempts, he was at last shot there. 



