THE DOG 



25 



The NezvfoHudlands. Rarely has the repro- as many as formerly. Their height is at ])resent 

 duction of a picture been so generally and so from twenty-four t<j twenty-six mches (though 

 easily (in the matter of price) brought withm on the island of Newfoundland they are nearly 

 the reach of all as in the case of the well-known always smaller), and that, perhaps, makes them 

 painting by Sir Edwin Landseer, representing inconvenient and clumsy about the house. In 

 a black and white Newfoundland, under the title England, however, tliey breed them to a still 

 of "A Distinguished Member of the Humane 

 Society." It is a pity, however, that Land 

 seer neglected to gi\'e the dog his original 

 color — black, without admixture o 

 any kind ; for though the inhabitants 

 of Newfoundland have never taken 

 any pains with their dogs, the 

 black, or occasionally a brown- 

 ish black, remains the domi- 

 nant color, and Landseer 

 made his dog black and 

 white solely for pictorial 

 effect. It did, however, 

 set a fashion, and breed- 



NeWFOUXDLAXI) 

 Plioto J. T. Newman, lierklianipstead 



greater height. So lung as children's nui'ses 

 ai'e not su]:)erse(led l)\' Newfoimdiands in 

 duties for which the latter are well fitted, 

 this race is better suited to the coun- 

 try than to cities. No better watch- 

 dogs could be found, and no one is 

 in danger of drowning as long as 

 a Newfoimdland is on the place. 

 The)' are \'er\' obser\-ant of 

 domestic matters and of 

 the habits of a household, 

 as the following instance 

 shows. A Newfoundland 

 was accustomed to </o out 



ers consequently put upon the market, as soon at a certain hour with his master, who had taught 

 as possible, a black and white variety, which him to fetch his cane. One day it rained so 



has now as much right to existence as the 

 wholly black species. 



The Newfoundland is an admirable swimmer, 

 being able to swim for an hour without resting. 

 He literally lives in the water and has often ren- 

 dered great service in sa\ing lives. Examples 

 of this are almost innumerable, and on all 



heavily that there was no question of going 

 out. The dog brought the cane as usual, and 

 seemed puzzled and distressed at being sent 

 away. He left the room, however, and pres- 

 ently returned, bringing an umbrella ! 



The paws of a Newfoundland serve him as 

 oars ; they ought to be straight and slim though 



DaxijU'; Din.mont Teiouicr 



SKVI'. TlCKlOI 



sides the race is lauded as very intelligent, and strongly muscled. The toes are united b) 



extremely faithful and gentle, especially with skin, or webbmg, which must be regarded as a 



children. Byron wrote a touching poem on his help in swimming. The tail should be carried 



Newfoundland, and so have many others ; yet, straight. The head is large and flat, and the 



strano-e to say, the taste for these dogs is weight required for bench shows is from one 



diminishing by degrees, and we no longer see hundred to one hundred and thirty pounds. 



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