334 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 



THE BULL-DOG. 



Is the fiercest of all the Dog kind, and is prob- 

 ably the most courageous creature in the world. It 

 is low in stature, but very strong and muscular. Its 

 nose is short ; and the under jaw projects beyond 

 the upper, which gives it a fierce and unpleasing 

 aspect. Its courage in attacking the Bull is well 

 known : its fury in seizing, and its invincible ob- 

 stinacy in maintaining its hold, are truly astonish- 

 ing. It always aims at the front ; and generally 

 fastens upon the lip, the tongue, the eye, or some 

 part of the face ; where it hangs, in spite of every 

 effort of the Bull to disengage himself. 



The uncommon ardour of these Dogs in fighting 

 will be best illustrated by the following fact, related 

 by an eye-witness; which at the same time cor- 

 roborates, in some degree, that wonderful account 

 of the Dogs of Epirus, given by Elian, and quoted 

 by Dr. Goldsmith in the History of the Dog: 

 Some years ago, at a Bull-baiting in the North 

 of England, when that barbarous custom was very 

 common, a young man, confident 'of the courage of 



