MOSCOW. 
142 
chap. th e dogs for hunting, we observed a noble race, 
* t - j which is common in Russia, with long hue hair, 
like the Newfoundland breed, but of amazing 
size and height; this kind of dog is used in 
Russia to pursue the wolves, German pug-dogs, 
highly appreciated in London, here bear a low 
price: we were offered a very fine one for a 
sum equivalent to an English shilling. We 
observed also English harriers and fox-hounds: 
but the breed most valued in Moscow is the 
English terrier; this is rare in Russia, and a dog 
of this kind will sell at so high a price as eighteen 
roubles, or even higher, according to the caprice 
of the buyer and seller. Persian cats were 
offered for sale, of a bluish-grey or slate colour, 
and much admired. Seeing several stalls 
apparently covered with wheat, we approached 
to examine its quality, and were amused in 
finding that what had the appearance of wheat 
consisted of large ants' eggs, heaped for sale, 
jstear the same stalls were tubs full of pismires, 
creeping among the eggs, and upon the clothes 
of those who sold them. Both the eggs and the 
ants are brought to Moscoiv as food for nightin- 
gales, the favourite, although common, singing 
birds in Russian houses ; their notes being in 
every respect as wild and pleasing, when con- 
fined in cages, as in their native woods. We 
often heard them in the bird-shops, warbling 
