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OUR DOMESTIC ANIMALS 



Red Cross but not the nose of the dog. They square, the nose thick, the ears small and car- 

 are trained to bring relief and food to the ried high, the color, preferably dark. The legs, 

 slightly wounded, and to carry cartridges along with catlike paws, must be strong, the chest 



well rounded, the back broad and straight, and 

 the tail pendent. Both varieties, the short 

 haired and the long haired, should measure at 

 least twenty-six inches to the shoulder for the 

 males and twenty-five for the females. The 

 color may be all shades of red to brown, with 

 the collar, chest, feet, and tip of tail white. The 

 catlike shape of the feet enables the animal to 

 walk on the snow without sinking deep, which 

 would lessen his chance of saving life. Ob\'iously 

 these qualities are of use only on a mountain. 



Every one remembers the legend of Barry, 

 the most famous of all the St. Bernard dogs, 

 who, in the seventeenth century, saved hun- 

 German War Dog dreds of li\-es on the Alps. It was said that 



this faithful animal was killed by a wounded 

 the lines and dispatches to the generals ; they soldier, who thought he was about to attack 

 are also trained to warn the outposts at night him, whereas the dog was really trying to pull 

 (without barkmg) of an intended surprise. him from the edge of a precipice. This touch- 



At the hospital on Mount St. Bernard 

 a race of dogs has for centuries been kept 

 to rescue travelers who have lost their way. 

 The manner in which this was done in past 

 years, when there were many more foot 

 passengers than at present, has been too 

 often described to need repetition here ; it 

 is enough to say that along the route at 

 regular interx'aJs there are " refuges," now 

 connected with the liospital by telephone. 

 The dog, accompanied by a monk, carries 

 the traveler to one of these shelters, and 

 no longer needs the traditional little key 

 around his neck. 



The St. Bernard dogs on the mountain 

 of that name do not present the imposing- 

 appearance of their congeners as seen in 

 the bench shows of the present day. The 

 care and stud)' given to the breeding and 

 improvement of the race have been admir- 

 able. While in England and America breed- 

 ers have chiefly paid attention to size, and 

 have wandered from the original ty])e, those 

 of the continent of Europe ha\'e stri\'en to ])re 



St. liicKNAun (Gicrman Tvt'e) 



ing tale is false, for Barry was killed in 1S17 

 serve the pure blood of tliat type as much as because of old age, and sent to the museum, 

 possible. The head should be hea\-y, the muzzle where he was stuffed and may still be seen. 



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