3 oo HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 



his fland, threatening every delinquent : He purfues the 

 ftragglers, if any fhould efcape ; and forces them into 

 order, without doing them the leaft injury. If the herdf- 

 man be at any time abfent from the flock, he depends 

 upon his Dog to keep them together and as foon as he 

 gives the well-known fignal, this faithful creature con- 

 ducts them to his matter, though at a confiderable dis- 

 tance. 



There is a very remarkable Angularity in the feet of 

 the Shepherd's Dog, which we have likewife obferved in 

 thofe of the Cur and the Spaniel. All of them have one, 

 and fome two, toes more than mod Dogs, though they 

 feem not to be of much ufe. They appear to be defti- 

 tute of mufcles, and hang dangling at the hind part of 

 the leg more like an unnatural excrefcence than a necef- 

 fary part of the animal. But the adage, that « Nature 

 has made nothing in vain/ ought to correct our decifion 

 on their utility, which probably may exift unknown to 

 us. 



This breed of Dogs, at prefent, appears to be pre- 

 ferred, in the greateft purity, in the northern parts of 

 Scotland > where its aid is highly neceflary in managing 

 the numerous herds of Sheep bred in thofe extenfive 

 wilds. 



