PC NATURAL HISTORY OF THE DOG. 



called by the above name, but whether or not he is fully en 

 titled to it, is in my judgment at least questionable. These 

 dogs are remarkable for their diving powers. I saw one 

 some years ago with an officer, who was quartered at Porto- 

 bello Barracks, Dublin, which dived repeatedly to the bottom 

 of the canal, between the locks, when full of water, and 

 fetched up such stones, &c., as were thrown in. I subjoin 

 the following anecdote, on the authority of Saunders's News- 

 letter, in which paper it appeared, of date September 21, 

 1846. I can only observe, that if strictly true, it places 

 the sagacity and gratitude of this dog in a most interesting 

 light: 



" PEELER, THE DOG OF THE POLICE. During the recent in- 

 vestigation relative to the manner in which the policeman 

 came by his death at Kingstown, a little active and inquisi- 

 tive dog, of the Labrador breed, was seen from time to time 

 during each day running in and out of the room as if he 

 toek a personal interest in the inquiry. The dog was ad- 

 mired, and a gentleman in the police establishment was 

 asked to whom it belonged. ' Oh,' said he, ' don't you know 

 him ? we thought every one knew Peeler, the dog of the 

 police.' The gentleman then proceeded to give the inter- 

 rogator the history of this singular dog. It appeared from 

 the story, that a few years ago poor little Peeler tempted the 

 canine appetite of a Mount St. Bernard, or Newfoundland 

 dog, and was in peril of being swallowed up by him for a 

 luncheon, when a policeman interposed, and with a blow of 

 his baton, levelled the assailant, and rescued the assailed. 

 From that time ' Peeler' has united his fortunes with those of 

 the police ; wherever they go, he follows ; whether pacing 

 with measured tread the tedious ' beat,' or engaged in the en- 

 ergetic duty of arresting a disturber of the public peace. 

 He is a self-constituted general-superintendent of the police, 

 visiting station after station, and after he has made his ob- 

 servations in one district, wending his way to the next. He 

 is frequently seen to enter a third class carriage at the 

 Kingstown Railway, get out at Black Rock, visit the police 

 station there, continue his tour of inspection to Booterstown, 

 reach there in time for the train as before, and go on to 

 Dublin to take a peep at the ' metropolitans ;' and having 

 satisfied himself that ' all is right,' return by an early even- 

 ing train to Kingstown. He sometimes takes a dislike to an 

 individual, and shuns him as anxiously as he wags his tail at 

 the approach, and frisks about the feet of another for whom 



