THE GREAT DANISH DOG. 



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that they would meet with scanty justice in ten times the space that can be afforded to them 

 in these pages. It has been thought better, therefore, to occupy the space by figures and 

 descriptions of the chief varieties of the domesticated Dog, rather than to till the pages with 

 anecdotes of individuals. Upwards of forty varieties of the Dog will be described in the 

 following pages, and illustrated with figures which, in almost every instance, are portraits of 

 well-known animals. 



One of the most magnificent examples of the domesticated Dog is the Thibet Dog, an 

 animal which, to his native owners, is as useful as he is handsome, but seems to entertain an 

 invincible antipathy to strangers of all kinds, and especially towards the face of a white man. 

 These enormous Dogs are employed by the inhabitants of Thibet for the purpose of guarding 



THIBET DOG.— Canis familiaris molossus litetarvus. 



their houses and their flocks, for which avocation their great size and strength render them 

 peculiarly fit. It often happens that the male inhabitants of a Thibetian village leave their 

 homes for a time, and journey as far as Calcutta, for the purpose of selling their merchandise 

 of borax, musk, and other articles of commerce. While thus engaged, they leave their Dogs 

 at home, as guardians to the women and children, trusting to the watchfulness of their four- 

 footed allies for the safety of their wives and families. 



The courage of these huge Dogs is not so great as their size and strength would seem to 

 indicate, for, excepting on their own special territories, they are little to be feared, and even 

 then can be held at bay by a quiet, determined demeanor. Their color is generally a deep black, 

 with a slight clouding on the sides, and a patch of tawny over each eye. The hanging lips of 

 the Thibet Dog give it a very curious aspect, which is heightened by the generally loose mode 

 in which the skin seems to hang on the body. 



The. Great Danish Dog is best known as the follower of horses and carriages upon 

 roads ; and, probably on account of being restricted to this monotonous mode of existence, is 

 supposed to be rather a stupid animal. As, however, in its own country the Danish Dog 



