5^ DOG. Clafs^L 



EngUJh bull dog feems to belong to this fpecies ; and 

 probably is the dog our author mentions under the 

 title of Laniarius. Great-Britain was fo noted for its 

 mallives, that the Roman Emperors appointed an of- 

 ficer in this ifland with the title of Procurator Cynegii ^^ 

 whofe fole bufinefs was to breed, and tranfmit from 

 hence to the Amphitheater, fuch as would prove equal 

 to the combats of the olace. 



Magnaque taurorum fra6luri coUa Britanni 



Gratius fpeaks in high terms of the excellency of the 

 Britijh dogs, 



Atque ipfos libeat penetrate Britannos ? 

 O quanta eft merces et quantum impendia fupra ! 

 Si non ad fpeciem mentiturofque decores 

 Protinus: hffic una eft catulis jaftura Britannis. 

 Ad magnum cum, venit opus, promendaque virtus, 

 Et vocat extremo prseceps difcrimine mavors, 

 Non tunc egregios tantum admirere Molojfos J. 



Straho tells us, that the maftives of Britain were 

 trained for war, and were ufed by the Gauls in their 

 battles 'J : and it is certain a well-trained maftiff 

 mifiht be of confiderable ufe in diftreiTin? fuch half- 

 armed and irregular combatants as the adverfaries of 

 the Gauls feem generally to have been before the Ra- 

 riians conquered them. 



The laft divifion is that of the Begeneres, or Ctirs. 



* Camd. Brit, in Hampjhire. 



•\ ClaudianAt laude Stilichonis^ Lib. iii. Lin. 301. 



X Gra/// Cynegeticon. Lin. 175. [[ Straho. Lib. iv. 



