THE ENGLISH AIASTIFF. 



known to the Romans, and it is not to be 

 wondered at that Virgil makes no refer- 

 ence to British dogs ; but Gratius Fahscus, 

 writing in the eighth \-ear of the Christian 

 era, recorded that the pugnaccs of Epirus 

 — the true Molossian dogs — were pitted 



best specimens the Roman emperors ap- 

 pointed a special officer, Procurator C3Tiegii, 

 who was stationed at Winchester and en- 

 trusted with the dut\- of selecting and ex- 

 porting ilastiffs from England to Rome. 

 This statement is frequently repeated by 



THE MASTIFF. 



From "The Sportsman's Cabinet" (IS03). By P. ReingaU, R.A. 



against the pugnaccs of Britain, which over- 

 powered them. Gratius further indicates 

 that there were two kinds of the British 

 pugnaccs, 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 pugnaccs, he especially re- 

 marks that they had flabby hps and droop- 

 ing ears. 



The courage of the '" broad mouthed dogs 

 oi Britain " was recognised and highly prized 

 by the Romans, who emploj-ed them for 

 combat in the amphitheatre. Many writers 

 have alleged that in order to secure the 



persons who ha\'e mistaken the word 

 cynacii for cynegii, and confounded the 

 title of a weaver's agent with that of an 

 e.xporter of dogs. An officer appointed to 

 ship fighting ilastiffs to Rome would have 

 been Procurator Pugnacium vel Molos- 

 sorum. 



In Anglo-Saxon times every two viUeins 

 were required to maintain one of these 

 dogs for the purpose of reducing the number 

 of wolves and other wiXA animals. This 

 would indicate that the ^lastiff 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 preser\ed game ; for 

 in the reign of Henry III. the Forest Laws, 



