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VEHTEBRATA. 
and so adroit were these dogs, that when one of them was fairly laid on, the escape of the criminal 
was with good reason considered to be all but impossible. Even now the breed lingers about 
some of the great deer-parks for the purpose of guarding the game. 
The Cuban Blood-Hound was a mastiff, and has been already noticed. 
The African Blood-Hound. — Of this species a pair were presented to the Tower Menagerie of 
London by Major Denham, which he had brought from Central Africa : they were finely formed 
animals. This breed are used in their native country for the chase, in which they display great 
sagacity and power of scent. 
The Otter-IIound, a mixed breed between the old English hound and the terrier, was formerly 
much used in England, but since the otter has nearly disappeared, it has become very rare. The 
terrier is used for otter-hunting in the north of Scotland. 
The Beagle, probably a descendant of the old English hound and harrier,- is a diminutive 
species of fox-hound, with a fine musical voice, and an exquisite scent, formerly much used in 
hunting, but now seldom employed. 
The Harrier is a fox-hound, bred doAvn to a small size, and is now chiefly used in England 
for hunting the hare. 
The Lurcher is a cross between the greyhound and shepherd's dog. He runs mute and by 
scent, and is used by poachers. The keeping of one of these creatures is considered, in England, 
beneath the dignity of a gentleman. 
We now pass from the hounds to the spaniels, an exceedingly interesting and attractive portion 
of the race. The spaniel is evidently the parent of the Newfoundland dog and the setter ; while 
the retriever, the poodle, the St. Bernard, the Esquimaux, the Siberian, the Greenland, the shep- 
herd and drover's dog, and every variety distinguished for intelligence and fidelity, have more or 
less of his blood in them. 
KING Charles' akd blenheim spaniels. 
The Spaniel is probably of Spanish origin, and hence his name. The ears are large and pend- 
ent, the tail elevated, the fur of a diff"erent length in different parts of the body, but longest 
about the ears, under the neck, behind the thighs, and on the tail, varying in color, but most 
commonly white, with brown or black patches. There are many varieties of the spaniel. 
The Cocker is the smallest of the land species, and is chiefly used in flushing woodcocks and 
pheasants in thickets and copses into which the setter, and even the springer, can scarcely enter. 
