THE ENGLISH MASTIFF. 175 



the species which combines so much strength and power of doing mischief with 

 such docility and amiability, and hence he is, par excellence, the keeper's dog. A 

 well-broken mastiff may be taken out at all hours, and in any company, by the 

 most delicate lady, without the slightest fear of leading her into a scrape, and with 

 the most perfect confidence in his protection. There are few Newfoundlands 

 even, docile as they are generally considered to be, from whom it would be safe to 

 take away a bone, but this may be fearlessly done by the master or mistress of the 

 mastiff ; and with children he is gentleness itself ; yet when roused, and set at man 

 or animal, his courage is second only to that of the bulldog. His sense of smell is 

 acute ; Mr. Hanbury tells me that his Duchess will track him with the truth of a 

 bloodhound, and he has seen her draw up to a covey of partridges like a pointer. 

 These dogs are not good at water, and do not voluntarily take it, except in the heat 

 of summer. According to my experience the English mastiff is more reliable in 

 temper than the modern St. Bernard, and bears the chain much better, confine- 

 ment having a greater tendency to procure disease both of body and mind in 

 the latter. Indeed, I know no dog that stands confinement so well as the 

 mastiff, and it is probably owing to the unfair advantage taken of this peculiarity 

 that we see so many mastiffs deficient in legs and feet, as the result of want of 

 exercise. 



A great deal has been written lately, on the bad effect of the bull cross, as 

 exhibited in King and his stock ; but I quite agree with Capt. Gamier in thinking 

 that the injurious results complained of have been greatly exaggerated, though I 

 do not go the full length with him of asserting that a century or two ago the two 

 breeds were identical ; for, much as I am inclined to think he is right, there seems 

 to be no absolute proof of the truth of his opinion. The sole objection to the 

 cross, as it appears to me, rests in the danger of spoiling the temper of the 

 produce ; but every one of experience knows that many keeper's dogs, which are 

 fully half -bull, are perfectly under control even with severe provocation. Still, 

 unless a bulldog is selected of specially amiable temperament, there would be great 

 risk of the effect alluded to, and in any case the proportion of bull ought to be 

 small, not exceeding one-eighth. Capt. Garnier's opinion of the bull cross for the 

 mastiff may be gather from the following remarks, which form part of the letter 

 above alluded to : 



" By crossing, then, the bulldog with the mastiff, we merely combine two breeds 

 which a century or two ago were identical. This fact is also proved by the 

 colour of the two breeds, which are the same, viz., brindled, fallow, and red with 

 black muzzles ; while the known effects of domestication and warmth in producing 

 white in all animals would have full play in the bulldog the fireside companion 

 of the working man and would quite account for the change of a light fallow 

 into that colour, and its presence in the bulldog of the present day. In 

 using the cross, however, it would, of course, be advisable to select a brindled or 

 fallow dog. 



" We have an illustration of the bull cross in King and his produce ; but here 

 I think it has proved of but slight use. King combines in him some of the best 



