274 
REVIEW— THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. 
We will first take a rapid sketch of the shepherd’s dog. 
“ When riding/’ says Mr. Darwin, “ it is common to meet a 
large flock of sheep guarded by one or two dogs, at the distance of 
some miles from any house or man. I often wondered how so 
firm a friendship had been established. The method of education 
consists in separating the puppy from the bitch while very young, 
and in accustoming it to its future companions. A ewe is held 
three or four times a-day for the little thing to suck, and a nest of 
wool is made for it in the sheep-pen. At no time is it allowed 
to associate with other dogs, or with the children of the family. 
The puppy is now castrated, so that, when grown up, it can 
scarcely have any feelings in common with the rest of its kind. 
From this education it has no wish to leave the flock ; and just as 
another dog will defend its master, so will these the sheep. It is 
amusing to observe, when approaching a flock, how the dog imme- 
diately advances barking, and the sheep all close in his rear, as if 
round the oldest ram. These dogs are also easily taught to bring 
home the flock at a certain hour in the evening. Their most 
troublesome fault, when young, is their desire of playing with the 
sheep, for in their sport they sometimes gallop their poor subjects 
most unmercifully. * 
“ The shepherd-dog comes to the house every day for some 
meat, and as soon as it is given him he skulks away as if ashamed 
of himself. On these occasions the house-dogs are very tyranni- 
cal, and the least of them will attack and pursue the stranger. 
The minute, however, the latter has attacked the flock, he turns 
round and begins to bark, and then all the house-dogs take very 
quickly to their heels. In a similar manner a whole pack of the 
hungry wild dogs will scarcely ever (and I am told by some never) 
venture to attack a flock guarded by even one of these faithful 
shepherds. 
“ The whole account appears to me a curious instance of the 
pliability of the affections in the dog ; and yet, whether wild or 
however educated, he has a feeling of respect or fear for those 
that are fulfilling their instinct of association.” 
The Breaking-in of wild Horses in Chili is an interest- 
ing sketch as depicted by Mr. Darwin. “ One evening a domidor 
— a subduer of horses — came for the purpose of breaking-in some 
colts. I will describe the preparatory steps, for I believe they 
have not been mentioned by other travellers. A troop of wild 
young horses is driven into the corral, or large enclosure of stakes, 
and the door is shut. We will suppose that one man alone has to 
catch and mount a horse which, as yet, has never felt bridle or 
saddle. I conceive, except by a gaucho, such a feat would be ut- 
terly impracticable. 
