THE NEWFOUNDLAND DOG. 191 



This species of dog, although he may he deemed 

 inferior to the shepherd dog in steadiness and stub- 

 bornness of adherence to watching, holds the highest 

 place for intellectual qualities. We know of one 

 whose usual station was the open hall-door of a gen- 

 tleman's country mansion; who appeared to think his 

 peculiar usefulness consisted in guarding the solitary 

 pedestrians of the family. He would view, unmoved, 

 the exit of every party; but a lady, a child, or his 

 master, at all times brought him to his feet, and sent 

 him scampering over the forest or park, by way of 

 pioneer, although but a second returned, perhaps, 

 from, a day's hard work in the woods. So remarkably 

 was this dog affected by individuals, that in despite 

 of his antipathy to beggars, by twos and threes, he 

 was never known to bark at a woman-beggar, but 

 would solicit the attention of his master to her case, 

 in a variety of ways, and always attend her to the 

 lodge-gates on departure. A small, common white 

 owl was the pet of the children ; it used to roost, the 

 day long, under a dark bush, where the trees overhead 

 formed an almost impenetrable shade. Our New- 

 foundland had a particular dislike to the species, but 

 always took great notice of this little creature, who 

 would fasten her big, brown, round eyes upon him 

 with great perturbation ; but he knew perfectly well 

 it was not to be molested, and, on the contrary, would 

 lead the youngest child, who could just run alone, by 

 his gambols, to the dark bush. In Youatt's " Hu- 

 manity of Brutes," he tells us thus : " A vessel was 



