224 
VEKTEBRATA. 
THE POODLE. 
lantly and nobly there ; but the moment he was dismissed, he would scamper home, gaze upon 
his master, and lay himself down at his feet. In one of these excursions he was shot. He crawled 
home, reached his master's feet, and expired in the act of licking his hand." 
The Poodle. — The particular cross from which this dog descended is unknown, but the variety 
produced has been carefully preserved. It is probably of continental origin, and is known by its 
thick curly hair, concealing almost every part of the face, and giving it the appearance of a short, 
thick, unintelligent skull. "When, however, the hair is removed, there is still the large head ; 
but there is also the cerebral cavity more capacious than in any other clog, and the frontal sinuses 
fully developed, and exhibiting every indication of the intellectual class to which it belongs. It 
was originally a water-dog, as its long and curly hair, and its propensities in its domesticated 
state, prove ; but from its peculiar sagacity, it is capable of being trained to almost any useful 
purpose, and its strong individual attachment renders it more the companion of man than a mere 
sporting dog; indeed, its qualities as a sporting dog are seldom recognized by its owner. 
Tliese dogs have far more courage than the water-spaniel, all the sagacity of the Newfound- 
land, more general talent, if the expression may be used, and more individual attachment than 
either of them, and without the fawning of the one, or the subniissiveness of the other. The 
poodle seems conscious of his worth, and there is often a quiet dignity accompanying his demon- 
strations of friendship. 
This dog, however, possesses a very peculiar kind of intelligence. It will almost perform the 
common offices of a servant : it will ring the bell and open the door. Mr. Wilkie, of Ladythorn, 
in Northumberland, had a poodle which he had instructed to go through all the apparent agonies 
of dying. He would fall on one side, stretch himself out, and move his hind-legs as if he were in 
great pain ; he would next simulate the convulsive throbs of departing life, and then stretch out 
his limbs, and thus seem as if he had expired. In this situation he would remain motionleSvS, 
until he had his master's command to rise. 
A poodle occupies an interesting place in the history of the Peninsular war. He belonged to 
a French officer, who was killed at the battle of Castella. The French were compelled to retreat 
before they could bury their dead, and the soldiers wished to carry with them this regimental 
favorite, but he would not be forced from the corpse of his master. Some soldiers afterward tra- 
versing the field of battle, one of them discovered the cross of the Legion of Honor on the breast 
of the fallen officer, and stooped to take it away, when the dog flew savagely at him, and would 
not quit his hold, until the bayonet of another soldier laid him lifeless. 
