THE DOG. 151 



table fox-cat, that could agree with no one else, never 

 quarrelled with Quail, but often made a pillow of her 

 side to lie on. She was never heard to growl, and sel- 

 dom to bark, and that only to express her joy on recog- 

 nising some person, either man, or dog, of her acquaint- 

 ance ; and she was so gentle, that she never gnawed 

 or injured anything she took in her mouth to carry. 

 She would fetch an egg from any distance without 

 breaking it, and even meat and bread, which she would 

 not presume to eat unless she had leave. Of living 

 things she was particularly tender. Hunting ducks in 

 ponds was an amusement of which we were too fond. 

 When other dogs overtook the bird, they generally 

 killed, and always gnawed it ; but Quail took it by the 

 feathers with great tenderness, and laid it at our feet, 

 without doing it the smallest injury. 



" Infirmity, at length, stole upon poor Quail, and she 

 died at an early age. We all regretted the loss of an 

 affectionate friend, whom we considered almost as one 

 of ourselves, and who had endeared herself to us by so 

 many fine and amiable qualities." 



The fidelity and attachment of the spaniel have been 

 celebrated in all ages. Of these qualities, the following 

 is a gratifying instance : Old Daniel, the game-keeper 

 of a gentleman, had reared a spaniel, which from its 



