THE ENGLISH MASTIFF. 



21 



known to the Romans, and it is not to be 

 wondered at that Virgil makes no refer- 

 ence to British dogs ; but Gratius Faliscus, 

 writing in the eighth year of the Christian 

 era, recorded that the pugnaces of Epirus 

 the true Molossian dogs were pitted 



best specimens the Roman emperors ap- 

 pointed a special officer, Procurator Cynegii, 

 who was stationed at Winchester and en- 

 trusted with the duty of selecting and ex- 

 porting Mastiffs from England to Rome. 

 This statement is frequently repeated by 



THE MASTIFF. 



From "The Sportsman's Cabinet" (1803). By P. Reingale, K.A. 



against the pugnaces of Britain, which over- 

 powered them. Gratius further indicates 

 that there were two kinds of the British 

 pugnaces, a larger and a smaller, suggesting 

 the existence of both the Bulldog and 

 the Mastiff, the latter being employed to 

 protect flocks and herds. Strabo, writing 

 some thirty years later, refers to British 

 dogs used in hunting and in warfare, and, 

 mentioning the pugnaces, he especially re- 

 marks that they had flabby lips and droop- 

 ing ears. 



The courage of the " broad mouthed dogs 

 of Britain " was recognised and highly prized 

 by the Romans, who employed them for 

 combat in the amphitheatre. Many writers 

 have alleged that in order to secure the 



persons who have mistaken the word 

 cyncecii for cynegii, and confounded the 

 title of a weaver's agent with that of an 

 exporter of dogs. An officer appointed to 

 ship fighting Mastiffs to Rome would have 

 been Procurator Pugnacium vel Molos- 

 sorum. 



In Anglo-Saxon times every two villeins 

 were required to maintain one of these 

 dogs for the purpose of reducing the number 

 of wolves and other wild animals. This 

 would indicate that the Mastiff was recog- 

 nised as a capable hunting dog ; but at 

 a later period his hunting instincts were 

 not highly esteemed, and he was not re- 

 garded as a peril to preserved game ; for 

 in the reign of Henry III. the Forest Laws, 



