314 
PLINY'S NATURAL HISTOET. 
[Book VIIL 
death, together with his slaves, for the affair of 'Nero, the son of 
Germanicus, it was found impossible to drive away a dog which 
belonged to one of them from the prison ; nor could it be forced 
away from the body, which had been cast down the Gemitorian 
steps but there it stood howling, in the presence of vast 
multitudes of people ; and when some one threw a piece of bread 
to it, the animal carried it to the mouth of its master. After- 
wards, when the body was thrown into the Tiber, the dog 
swam into the river, and endeavoured to raise it out of the 
water ; quite a throng of people being collected to witness this 
instance of an animal's fidelity. 
Dogs are the only animals that are sure to know their masters ; 
and if they suddenly meet him as a stranger, they will instantly 
recognize him. They are the only animals that will answer 
to their names, and recognize the voices of the family. They 
recollect a road along which they have passed, however long 
it may be. JN'ext to man, there is no living creature whose 
memory is so retentive. By sitting down on the ground, we 
may arrest their most impetuous attack, even when prompted 
by the most violent rage. 
In daily life we have discovered many other valuable quali- 
ties in this animal ; but its intelligence and sagacity are more 
especially shown in the chase. It discovers and traces out the 
tracks of the animal, leading by the leash the sportsman who 
accompanies it straight up to the prey ; and as soon as ever it 
has perceived it, how silent it is, and how secret but significant 
is the indication which it gives, first by the tail and afterwards 
by the nose ! Hence it is, that even when worn out with 
old age, blind, and feeble, they are carried by the huntsman 
in his arms, being still able to point out the coverts where 
the game is concealed, by snuffing with their muzzles at the 
wind. The Indians raise a breed between the dog and the 
tiger/"^ and for this purpose tie up the females in the forests 
1* More commonly called the Gradus or Scalae Gemoniae, " the stairs of 
wailing a place down which the bodies of the criminals were thrown, 
when executed in prison. — B. 
15 " Lorum," the leather thong by which the dogs were held until the 
proper moment, when they were " let slip" upon their prey. 
16 This is mentioned by Gratian, Cyneget. 1, 237. — B. 
17 This practice is mentioned by Aristotle, Hist. Anim. B. riii. c. 33, 
and Diodorus Siculus, B. xvii. But Cuvier^nforms us, that neither the 
tiger nor the panther are capable of generating with the dog ; he supposes 
