AND AMERICAN RURAL SPORTS. 



55 



a Dog, as a preventative to his being attacked with mad- 

 ness; this is absurd and utterly useless.* The nature of our 

 work will not permit us to enter on this subject at greater 

 length, we must therefore refer such of our readers as wish 

 further information on the subject, to the treatise above 

 alluded to. There is one precaution, however, that should 

 always be borne in mind; that where a Dog bites any per- 

 son, the animal should not be killed, but, should be se- 

 curely confined, that the fact of the madness may be posi- 

 tively ascertained. 



The variet}' of Dog so well known under the name of 

 Newfoundland, has generally been considered by Natural- 

 ists as a mongrel, allied to the Esquimaux and Indian; but 

 this opinion is evidently erroneous, as he differs from those 

 varieties in the form of his head, and the general robust- 

 ness of his figure. When full bred, and uncontaminated by 

 the blood of any inferior variety, he is certainly the most 

 imposing and noble of the canine race. Although, at first 

 sight, his great size and strength convey a sensation of fear, 

 the mild and expressive character of his countenance mani- 

 fests that ferocity is far from being a predominant or dis- 

 tinguishing trait of his character. 



Extremely docile and affectionate, this Dog may be 

 taught to perform actions which appear almost incredible, 

 and which, seemingly, require no slight exercise of the 

 reasoning faculties. Equally sagacious as persevering, he 

 never relinquishes an undertaking as long as there remains 

 the most distant hope of success. He seldom or never offers 

 offence, but will not receive an insult or injury with im- 

 punity. The great pliability of his temper, peculiarly fits 

 him for the use of man, as he never shrinks from any task 

 that may be assigned him, but undertakes it with an ardour 

 proportioned to the difficulty of the execution. A full 

 sized Newfoundland Dog, from the nose to the end of the 

 tail, measures about six feet and a half, the length of the 

 tail being about two feet; from one fore foot to the other 

 over the shoulders, three feet four inches; round the head 

 across the ears, two feet; round the upper part of the fore 

 leg, ten inches; length of the head, fourteen inches. The 

 feet are webbed, by which means he can swim with great 

 quickness and facility. The body is covered with long 

 shaggy hair; that on the legs and tail being very thick and 



* As some of our readers may be unacquainted with tliis operation, we sub- 

 join it. Tlie W'orm . as it is termed, is the ligament which connects the tongue to 

 the under part of the mouth. The tongue is to be raised, and the skin wliich 

 covers the worm slit; a small awl is then to be introduced under the centre of it, 

 to raise it up; the farther end will make its appearance by a little force being 

 used and by being taken hold of with a piece of cloth, it may be easily removed. 

 Great care must be taken not to break it. This operation should be perlormed 

 at the time the pups are removed from the mother. It is said to prevent the Dog 

 from biting if he should be affected with madness, and to have proved perfectly 

 efEcacious in more than one instance; but this is at best but problematical. 







long. This Dog is not remarkable for symmetry of pro- 

 portions, and his motions are heavy; consequently, he is 

 not distinguished for speed. 



We are indebted to J. Browne Smith, Esq. for an op- 

 portunity of figuring this majestic anifnal, from a remarka- 

 bly fine and well marked specimen in his possession. The 

 Philadelphia Museum is also enriched by a well prepared 

 example of this Dog, which formerly belonged to Mr. 

 Wistar, of Germantown. Both these animals, though not 

 so large as the dimensions we have just given, afford excel- 

 lent criteria of the form and general proportions of the 

 animal. 



The Newfoundland Dog is habitually used in its native 

 country for the purposes of draught. They are easily 

 broken in, and soon inured to the trammels of harness; 

 three, four, or five are used in a sledge or other vehicle, 

 and will convey a load of some hundreds weight for many 

 miles with great ease. This, when once instructed in and 

 accustomed to the road, they will do without any supervi- 

 sion; and having delivered the load with which they 

 have been entrusted, will return to the residence of their 

 master, to receive their accustomed food, which generally 

 consists of fish, either fresh or in a dried state, of both of 

 which they are said to be extremely fond. Captain Brown* 

 states, that in 1810, it was computed that there wei'e up- 

 wards of two thousand of these Dogs, at and in the vici- 

 nity of St. John's, Newfoundland. They are left to shift 

 for themselves during the whole summer, and are not only 

 troublesome to the inhabitants, but become absolute nui- 

 sances, from starvation and disease. Contrary to their 

 natural disposition, where properly taken care of, under 

 these circumstances, they assemble in packs and prowl 

 about like wolves for their prey, destroying sheep, poultry, 

 and every thing eatable within their reach. When the 

 fishing season is over, and their inhuman masters again re- 

 quire their services, they are reclaimed, and submit with 

 cheerfulness to the tasks which are assigned them. The 

 same author states, that this reclamation always gives rise to 

 much confusion and litigation, the value of these periodi- 

 cally deserted animals being estimated at from two to eight 

 pounds each. 



In the year 1815, a dangerous disease resembling hydro- 

 phobia appeared among them, owing, as was generally 

 supposed, to the hardships and starvation to which they 

 were subjected. Persons bitten by them exhibited no 

 symptoms of hydrophobia; and the disease was attributed, 

 by the medical men of the island, to a fever induced by 

 severe labour, with insufficient nourishment upon salted 

 food, and a scarcity of water, caused by the frozen state of 



* Biographical Sketches and Authentic Anecdotes of Dogs, p. 198. 



