72 VERTEBRATES. 



color, they are black or fawn : the white, yellow, or pied are always 

 deficient in purity of blood. 



Another species has nearly the same conformation, but is 

 covered with longer, more curly, and stouter hair ; the legs being 

 apparently, but not actually, shorter. This kind of dog prevails 

 in the greater part of the Western Islands of Scotland, and som; 

 of them, where the hair has obtained its full development, are 

 much admired. 



The Shock Dog is traced by Buffon, but somewhat erro- 

 neously, to a mixture of the small Danish dog and the pug. The 

 head is round, the eyes large, but somewhat concealed by its long 

 and curly hair, the tail curved and bent forward. The muzzle 

 resembles that of the pug. It is of small size, and is used in this 

 country and in Europe as a lap-dog. It is very properly described 

 by the author of "The Field Book" as a useless little animal, 

 seeming to possess no other quality than that of a faithful attach- 

 ment to his mistress. 



There are circumstances which go to prove that dogs are 

 endowed with a degree of intelligence almost equal to that of man. 

 As an instance, we will describe the performance of a game of 

 dominoes, by one of a pair of dogj, which M. Leonard, a French 

 gentleman, had been training for some time : After many other 

 performances, M. Leonard invited a gentleman to play a game of 

 dominoes with one of them. The younger and slighter dog then 

 seated himself on a chair at the table, and the writer and M. 

 Leonard seated themselves opposite. Six dominoes were placed 

 on their edges in the usual manner before the dog, and a like 

 number before the writer. The dog having a double number, 

 took one up in his mouth, and put it in the middle of the table ; 

 the writer placed a corresponding piece on one side j the dog im- 

 mediately played another correctly, and so on until all the pieces 

 were engaged. Other six dominoes were then given to each, and 

 the writer intentionally placed a wrong number. The dog looked 

 surprised, stared very earnestly at the writer, growled, and finally 

 barked angrily. Finding that no notice was taken of his remon- 

 sl'rances, he pushed away the wrong domino with his nose, and 



