14 



THE NEW BOOK OF THE DOG. 



was drawn up. Three main divisions were 

 recognised: (i) Canes villatica, or watch- 

 dogs ; (2) Canes pastorales, or sheep- 

 dogs ; (3) Canes vcnatici, hunting dogs ; 

 which were further subdivided into pitg- 

 naces, to attack the quarry ; nare sagaces, 

 to track it out ; and pedibus celeres, to over- 

 take it. In their commerce with distant 

 countries the Romans acquired new breeds 

 for particular uses or to improve their own 

 kennels. Symmachus mentions the pres- 

 ence of British pugnaces (which were no 

 doubt ^Mastiffs) at the Coliseum in Rome, 

 and Claudian refers to^ 



boasted much. He said, ' Long will it be 

 before you hunt like this ! ' They assem- 

 bled and answered that they thought no 

 king had such luck m hunting. Then they 

 all rode home, and the King was very 

 glad " (Heimskringla, St. Olaf, c. 90). 



Besides hunting dogs, the Northmen 

 possessed other kinds, among which were 

 shepherd and watch-dogs. 



" When Olaf was in Ireland he went on 

 a coast-raid. As they needed provisions 

 they went ashore and drove down many 

 cattle. A bondi came there and asked 

 Olaf to give him back his cows. Olaf 



HAWKING PA^TY, SHOWING HUNTING DOGS. 



om the Baycux T.,rest,y. 



" The British hound 

 That brings the bull's big forehead to the 

 ground." 



Long before the introduction of Chris- 

 tianity into Northern Europe the dog 

 was understood and appreciated by the 

 Scandinavians, who probably obtained 

 many varieties during their commercial 

 expeditions to Italy and the East, and 

 their raiding expeditions " West-over-sea." 

 As one may gather from tlie Sagas, they 

 were accustomed to use dogs witli the 

 hawks. 



" One day the King (Olaf, of Sweden) 

 rode out early with his hawks and dogs 

 and men with him. When they let loose 

 the hawks, the King's hawk in one flight 

 killed two hcathcocks, and at once he again 

 flew forward and killed three more. The 

 dogs ran underneath and took e^■ery bird 

 that fell to the ground. The King galloped 

 after, and picked up the game himself, and 



rejjlied that he might take tiiem if he could 

 recognise them and not delay their journey. 

 The bondi had with him a large sheepdog. 

 He pointed out to it the herd of cattle, 

 which numbered many hundreds. The dog 

 ran through all the herds, and took away 

 as many cows as the bondi had said be- 

 longed to him. and they were all marked 

 with the same mark. Then they acknow- 

 ledged that the dog had found out the right 

 cattle. They thought it a wonderfully wise 

 dog. Olaf asked if the bondi would give 

 him the dog. ' Willingly,' answered the 

 bondi. Olaf at once gave him a gold ring, 

 and promised to be his friend. The dog's 

 name was Mgi, and it was the best of all 

 dogs. Olaf owned it long after this " 

 (Olaf Triggvason's Saga, c. 35). 



From Ireland, also, the Vikings appear to 

 have introduced the great Wolf-hound. In 

 the Saga of Nial's Burning, Paa (the pea- 

 cock) says to Gunnar : 



