140 Transactions.— Miscellaneous. 
ship had visited Tahiti, and (speaking of some natives who visited their 
ship) he says :—'* A good many dogs were observed in their canoes, which 
they seemed very fond of, and kept tied with a string round their middle; 
they were of a rough long-haired sort with pricked ears, and much resembled 
the common shepherd's cur or Count Buffon's chien de berger (see his Hist. 
Nat.) They were of different colours—some spotted, some quite black, 
and others perfectly white. The food which these dogs receive is fish, or 
the same which their masters live on, who afterwards eat their flesh and 
employ the fur in various ornaments and dresses. They sold us several of 
these animals, among which the old ones coming into our possession 
became extremely sulky and refused to take any sustenance, but some 
young ones soon accustomed themselves to our provisions.”* And, again, 
shortly after, he says :—‘‘ While here we saw a large animal in the water 
about Grass Cove which seemed to be a sea-lion by its magnitude, but 
which we could not get a shot at. We had already discovered a small 
species of bats in the woods, so that the list of the indigenous quadrupeds 
in New Zealand was increased to five, including the domestic dog of the 
natives.” On leaving Cook Straits for Tahiti, Forster says :—‘t The 
officers, who could not yet relish their salt provisions after the refreshments 
of New Zealand, had ordered their black dog (mentioned p. 185)t to be killed, 
and sent the captain one-half of it; this day, therefore, we dined for the 
first time on a leg of it roasted, which tasted so exactly like mutton that it 
was absolutely undistinguishable. In our cold countries where animal food 
is so much used, and where to be carnivorous perhaps lies in the nature of 
men, or is indispensably necessary to the preservation of their health and 
strength, it is strange that there should exist a Jewish aversion to dogs’ 
flesh, when hogs, the most uncleanly of all animals, are eaten without 
scruple. * * * It may be objected that the exalted degree of instinct, 
which we observe in our dogs, inspires us with great unwillingness to kill 
and eat them. But it is owing to the time we spend on the education of 
dogs that they acquire those eminent qualities which attach them so much 
to us. * * * In New Zealand, and (according to former accounts 
of voyages) in the tropical isles of the South Sea, the dogs are the most 
stupid, dull animals imaginable, and do not seem to have the least 
advantage, in point of sagacity, over sheep, which are commonly made the 
* Forster’s Voyage round the World, 4to. (London), 1677, vol. L, p. 219. . 
T At p. 135, Forster says :—“ Here at Dusky Bay we had a young dog with us, which 
the officers had got at the Capeof Good Hope, and intended to try whether we could not 
train him up to the gun, but we had no sooner discharged the first fowling-piece than he _ 
ran into the woods and would not return, though we used all possible means to recover 
him." Isuppose they managed to do so before they left Dusky Bay. 
