330 
THE DOG. 
expression of countenance. They hunt en¬ 
tirely by scent, and are very persevering, 
though slow. They have sometimes been 
employed to find lost children, and more 
frequently as instruments in th^ hands of 
tyranny to hunt out the refuge of those 
unfortunates who, from political, religious 
or other fanaticism, have been compelled to 
take refuge in swamps and forests from the 
cruelty and oppression of their fellow-crea¬ 
tures. Fox-hounds, beagles and hunters are 
all of the same race. But we must now pass 
to another, as our time is nearly used up. 
“ The cur dogs are the last we shall 
notice. The term cur has been used as a 
term of reproach : it is in reality one of the 
oldest—if not the oldest—European name 
for the dog. In the list of cur dogs are ar¬ 
ranged, first, the terriers,—small, compact 
dogs, sometimes smooth and delicate, some¬ 
times very rough and shaggy, but always 
brave, sagacious and high-spirited, possess¬ 
ing a peculiar instinct for destroying vermin 
of all sorts. Secondly, the mastiff, which 
we have already noticed. A very fine breed 
of these dogs is found in Thibet, where it 
is much valued for its watchfulness and 
