44 THE SHOOTERS U1DE. 



young, are gentle only while cubs, and as they grow 

 older, give themselves up to their natural appetites of 

 rapine and cruelty. In short, it may be asserted, that 

 the dog is the only animal whose fidelity remains un- 

 shaken : the only one who knows his master and the 

 friends of the family the only one who instantly 

 distinguishes a stranger the only one that knows his 

 name, and answers to the domestic call the only one 

 who seems to understand the nature of subordination, 

 and seeks assistance the only one who, when he 

 misses his master, testifies his loss by complaints 

 the only one whose natural talents are evident, and 

 whose education is always successful. 



Thus as the dog is the most complying in his dis- 

 position, so also is he the most susceptible of change 

 in his form: the varieties of this animal being too 

 numerous, for even the most careful describer to 

 mention. Climate, food, and education, all make 

 strong impressions upon him, and produce alterations 

 in his shape, colour, hair, size, and indeed every thing 

 but his nature. The same dog, taken from one cli- 

 mate and brought to another, seems to become an- 

 other animal; but different breeds even are as much 

 separated to outward appearance, as any two animals 

 the most distinct in nature ; nothing appears to re- 

 main constant with them but their internal confor- 

 mation : different in the figure of the body, in the 

 length of the nose, in the shape of the head, in the 

 length and direction of the ears and tail, in the co- 

 lour, the quantity, and quality of the hair ; in short* 



