368 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 



brings forth from four to eight at one time. It 

 barks at strange Dogs, snaps at a stone thrown at 

 it, howls at certain musical notes; when about to 

 lie down, frequently goes round the place; fawns at 

 the approach of its master, and will not patiently 

 suffer any one to strike him; runs before him on a 

 journey, often going over the same ground; on 

 coming to cross ways, stops, looks back, and waits- 

 to observe \vhich of them he takes; sits up and 

 begs; and when it has committed a theft, slinks 

 away with its tail between its legs ; is an enemy to 

 beggars and ill-looking people, and attacks them 

 without the least provocation; is also said to be 

 sick at the approach of bad weather. We cannot, 

 however, agree with the learned naturalist when he 

 asserts, that the male puppies resemble the Dog, 

 and the female the Bitch; or that it is a character 

 common to the whole species, that the tail always 

 bends to the left side. To these we may add, as 

 equally void of foundation, a remark of M". Buffon, 

 that a female Hound, covered with a Dog of her 

 own kind, has been known to produce a mixed 

 race, consisting of Hounds and Terriers. We 

 barely mention these to show r , that too much cau- 

 tion cannot be used in forming general characters 

 or systematic arrangements ; and we leave it to the 

 experience of the most inattentive observer to de- 

 tect such palpable absurdities. 



