NOTES ON THE DOG TRIBE. 



171 



would not suffice to contain instances of his 

 services to the human race. A man and his dog, 

 may almost be considered as component parts, 

 each working for the other, wdiether in heat, or 

 in cold, in tempests or in calms. The blind 

 confide in him, — the lame have his support, — the 

 rich are proud of him ; and, too often, the poor 

 man has nothing but his dog to give him 

 consolation. 



From the stately hound of Cuba, (by the way, 

 Cuba is not its original country) down to the little 

 insignificant lap-dog snoring on a lady's knee, 

 the tribe of dog is serviceable to man. 



But, how, one would ask, can the lap-dog be 

 serviceable ? — a little snappish, snarling, ricketty 

 thing, not bold enough to attack even a Hano- 

 verian rat. 



In truth, I feel shy in alluding to the occasional 

 services of this pampered favourite. One really 

 wonders, how our elegant ladies with robes of 

 Tyrean dye, and gloves as white as drifted snow, 

 should ever fancy such apparently unuseful little 

 brutes as these, and take them in their arms with 

 fond caresses. Still, let me do them justice. They 

 really have their uses. 



In some years we have a heavier crop of house- 

 hold fleas, than in others ; and when this occurs, 



