A Sportsman 275 



will play with those who have the honor of his friend- 

 ship, but woe betide any passing stray dogs, or those 

 he is unfriendly with. 



The passing strange dog, be he large or small, is 

 sure to become the matrix of Dingo's cast, and may 

 at exit well murmur the reminding words of Addison : 

 "Nature formed me of her softest mold." 



As a scrapper Dingo is the Jeffries of his arena, 

 and will quit his food quickly for a rough and tumble, 

 and although there are many dogs which could van- 

 quish him, he has never yet encountered a canine of 

 his mettle and power. 



Almost invariably, when he has broken his chain, 

 he has immediately celebrated his freedom by an 

 assault upon some one of the collies, and, while sev- 

 eral will join in mutual defence, he will by his rapidity 

 and dexterous action clear the field in short order. He 

 will then return to the kitchen door for larder filling, 

 and allow himself to be secured. 



He has never bitten any person. As to canine 

 antagonists, he has often been seized at the back of 

 his neck by fighting dogs, but invariably upon being so 

 seized has turned his head with wonderful celerity, en- 

 abling him to seize the lower jaw of the attacking dog by 

 a grip of his own, which seems to be very discourag- 

 ing to the latter, judging by the instant hold-breaking. 



Only once have we seen Dingo nonplused and 

 distressed. This was on an occasion when, in a night 

 foray, we had secured a very large female raccoon, 

 which was secured alive by noosing out of an old 

 hollow tree where she had a few }^oung kittens, too 

 young for saving. She was wild and ferocious, and had 

 to be bound very securely. 



