110 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE DOG. 



and is commonly known on the Continent as the " Spanish 

 bull-dog." The dogs procured from Spain and Portugal will 

 be found to answer my present description more fully than 

 such as we may now procure from Cuba ; the latter breed 

 having, in many instances, undergone much alteration and 

 deterioration by crossing with the Cuban bloodhound. J. Ayl- 

 rner, Esq., of 5, Bachelor's Walk, Dublin, has the finest of 

 the breed, perhaps, in Britain. He is frequently importing 

 new and perfect specimens from Cadiz ; for doing which he 

 possesses peculiar facilities. Colonel H. Smith conceives this 

 race to have been identical with the broad-mouthed dogs for 

 which Britain was celebrated during the Roman era; and 

 certainly, as this race' answers to ancient description far better 

 /han our common bull-dog, I am disposed fully to concur with 

 him. 



Some years ago, I saw a remarkably fine specimen of this 

 breed, at the Portobello Gardens, which fell since into the 

 possession of Dr. Gilgeous, of Demerara. There was also a 

 good specimen recently presented to our Zoological Society, 

 by Sir George Preston, which is, I believe, still in the Soci- 

 ety's gardens. 



THE BULL-DOG. 



The British Bull-dog is, when a good dog, perhaps one of 

 the most courageous animals in existence. I am obliged to 

 qualify my meed of praise, however, as I have myself seen 

 Bull-dogs, not merely of very doubtful courage, but absolute- 

 ly coiuards. I attribute this moral degeneracy to the practice 

 of too close, or " in and in" breeding a practice certain to 

 prejudice the mental qualifications, even though external or 

 physical conformation remain apparently the same. 



Th-e Bull-dog needs little description : he usually stands 

 twenty inches in height if smaller, he is so much the more 

 highly esteemed ; his head is large and round ; his eyes 

 small and far apart ; ears small and partly erect ; muzzle 

 short, truncated, and turned upwards ; under jaw projecting 

 beyond the upper, displaying the lower incisor teeth ; color 

 usually brindled, but white is the fancy color ; party col- 

 ors, as black and white, &c., are to be condemned ; his tail 

 must be fine as a rush. 



The Bull-dog is remarkable for the obstinacy with which 

 ie keeps his hold, suffering himself to be dismembered and 

 the merciless experiment has, to the disgrace of human na 



