THE second class of carnivorous quadrupeds may be denominated those of the dog kind.* This class is neither so numerous nor so powerful as the former, and yet neither so treacherous, rapacious, nor cowardly. This class may be principally distinguished by their claws, which have no sheath, like those of the cat kind, but still continue at the point of each toe, without a capability of being stretched forward or drawn back. The nose also, as well as the jaw, of all the dog kind, is longer than in the cat; the body is, in proportion, more strongly made, and covered with hair instead of fur. There are many internal distinctions also; as in the intestines, which are much longer in the dog kind than in those of the cat; the eye is not formed for night vision; and the olfactory nerves are diffused, in the dog kinds, upon a very extensive membrane within the skull. If we compare the natural habitudes of this class with the former, we shall find that the dog kinds are not so solitary as those of the cat, but love to hunt in company, and encourage each other with their mutual cries. In this manner the dog and the jackal pursue their prey; and the wolf and fox, which are of this kind, though more solitary and silent among us, yet, in countries where less persecuted, and where they can more fearlessly display their natural inclinations, they are found to keep together in packs, and pursue their game with alternate howlings.

THE DOG SPECIES.-The very extensive varieties of the dog, which have been produced by domestication and other causes, have led naturalists into great differences of opinion as to the original stock from which these varieties have sprung. Wild dogs, as they are at present found, are, in most cases, dogs without masters; living in a miserable condition, away from human society, and easily won back to its subjection and comforts; these therefore, do not advance our

inquiries, as to the original type of the species in a state of nature. Some think the dog is a jackal, some a wolf. In the character of erect ears, many of our domestic dogs nearly resemble the half-reclaimed species, such as the Esquimaux, (see a subsequent note); and again, others, in the shape of the head, approach more nearly to the Australasian dog, which has been lately considered as retaining most of the probable distinctive cha racters of the wild and original stock.

Animals of the dog kind want some of the advantages of the cat kind, and yet are possessed of others in which the latter are deficient. Upon observing their claws, it will easily be perceived that they cannot, like cats, pursue their prey up the sides of a tree, and continue the chase among the branches; their unmanageable claws cannot stick in the bark, and thus support the body up along the trunk, as we see the cat very easily performs: whenever, therefore, their prey flies up the tree from them, they can only follow it with their eyes, or watch its motions till hunger again brings it to the ground. For this reason, the proper prey of the dog kind are only those animals that, like themselves, are unfitted for climbing; the hare, the rabbit, the gazelle, or the roe-buck.

As they are, in this respect, inferior to the cat, so they exceed it in the sense of smelling; by which alone they pursue their prey with certainty of success, wind it through all its mazes, and tire it down by perseverance. It often happens, however, in the savage state, that their prey is either too much diminished, or too wary to serve for a sufficient supply. In this case, when driven to an extremity, all the dog kinds can live for some time upon fruits and vegetables, which, if they do not please the appetite, at least serve to appease their hunger. Of all this tribe, the dog has every reason to claim the preference, being the most intelligent of all known quadrupeds, and the acknowledged friend of mankind. The dog, (g) independent of the beauty of his form, his vivacity, force, and swiftness, is possessed of all those internal qualifications that can conciliate the affections of man, and make the tyrant a protector. A natural share of courage, an angry and ferocious disposition, renders the dog, in its savage state, a formidable enemy to all other animals: but these readily give way to very different qualities in the domestic dog, whose only ambition seems the desire to please; he is seen to come crouching along, to lay his force, his courage, and all his useful talents, at the feet of his master; he waits his orders, to which he pays implicit obedience; he consults his looks, and a single glance is sufficient to put him in motion; he is more faithful even than the most boasted among men; he is constant in his affections, friendly without interest, and grateful for the slightest favours; much more mindful of benefits received than injuries offered; he is not driven off by unkindness; he still continues humble, submissive, and imploring; his only hope to be serviceable, his only terror to displease; he licks the hand that has been just lifted to strike him, and at last disarms resentment by submissive perseverance.*

FACULTIES OF BRUTES.-The dog is the only animal that dreams; he and the elephant the only animals that understand looks; the elephant is the only animal that, besides man, feels ennui; the dog, the only quadruped that has been brought to speak. Leibnitz bears witness to a hound in Saxony, that could speak distinctly thirty words.-ARCANA OF SCIENCE, 1829.

THE POODLES FROM MILAN.-Mrs. Lee, in a letter to Loudon's Magazine, thus writes of these sagacious animals:- "Sir,-Two very remarkable savans now divide the attention of the French public with the romantic tragedy of Hernani by Victor Hugo. They are Poodles from Milan, where they have received their education; the elder, named Fido, is white, with some black patches on the head and back, and the younger, who is called Bianco, is also white, but with red spots. Fido is a grave and serious personage, walks with dignity round the circle assembled

to see him, and appears much absorbed in reflection. Bianco is young and giddy, but full of talent when he chooses to apply it. Owing to his more sedate disposition, Fido, however, is called upon to act the principal part of the exhibition: a word is dictated to him from the Greek, Latin, Italian, German, French, or English language, and selected from a vocabulary where fifty words in each tongue are inscribed, and which altogether make three hundred different combinations. An alphabet is placed before Fido, and from it he takes the letters which compose the given word, and lays them in their proper order at the feet of his master. On one occasion he was told to spell the word Heaven, and he quickly placed the letters till he came to the second e, he stood for an instant as if puzzled, but in a moment after he took the e out of the first syllable, and put it into the second. His attainments in orthography, however, are not so surprising as those in arithmetic; he prac

(g) The rest of this description of the dog is taken from Buffon; what I have added, is marked as before.

Animals of the dog kind want some of the advantages of the cat kind, and yet are possessed of others in which the latter are deficient. Upon observing their claws, it will easily be perceived that they cannot, like cats, pursue their prey up the sides of a tree, and continue the chase among the branches; their unmanageable claws cannot stick in the bark, and thus support the body up along the trunk, as we see the cat very easily performs: whenever, therefore, their prey flies up the tree from them, they can only follow it with their eyes, or watch its motions till hunger again brings it to the ground. For this reason, the proper prey of the dog kind are only those animals that, like themselves, are unfitted for climbing; the hare, the rabbit, the gazelle, or the roe-buck.

As they are, in this respect, inferior to the cat, so they exceed it in the sense of smelling; by which alone they pursue their prey with certainty of success, wind it through all its mazes, and tire it down by perseverance. It often happens, however, in the savage state, that their prey is either too much diminished, or too wary to serve for a sufficient supply. In this case, when driven to an extremity, all the dog kinds can live for some time upon fruits and vegetables, which, if they do not please the appetite, at least serve to appease their hunger. Of all this tribe, the dog has every reason to claim the preference, being the most intelligent of all known quadrupeds, and the acknowledged friend of mankind. The dog, (g) independent of the beauty of his form, his vivacity, force, and swiftness, is possessed of all those internal qualifications that can conciliate the affections of man, and make the tyrant a protector. A natural share of courage, an angry and ferocious disposition, renders the dog, in its savage state, a formidable enemy to all other animals: but these readily give way to very different qualities in the domestic dog, whose only ambition seems the desire to please; he is seen to come crouching along, to lay his force, his courage, and all his useful talents, at the feet of his master; he waits his orders, to which he pays implicit obedience; he consults his looks, and a single glance is sufficient to put him in motion; he is more faithful even than the most boasted among men; he is constant in his affections, friendly without interest, and grateful for the slightest favours; much more mindful of benefits received than injuries offered; he is not driven off by unkindness; he still continues humble, submissive, and imploring; his only hope to be serviceable, his only terror to displease; he licks the hand that has been just lifted to strike him, and at last disarms resentment by submissive perseverance.*

FACULTIES OF BRUTES.-The dog is the only animal that dreams; he and the elephant the only animals that understand looks; the elephant is the only animal that, besides man, feels ennui; the dog, the only quadruped that has been brought to speak. Leibnitz bears witness to a hound in Saxony, that could speak distinctly thirty words.-ARCANA OF SCIENCE, 1829.

THE POODLES FROM MILAN.-Mrs. Lee, in a letter to Loudon's Magazine, thus writes of these sagacious animals:- "Sir,-Two very remarkable savans now divide the attention of the French public with the romantic tragedy of Hernani by Victor Hugo. They are Poodles from Milan, where they have received their education; the elder, named Fido, is white, with some black patches on the head and back, and the younger, who is called Bianco, is also white, but with red spots. Fido is a grave and serious personage, walks with dignity round the circle assembled

to see him, and appears much absorbed in reflection. Bianco is young and giddy, but full of talent when he chooses to apply it. Owing to his more sedate disposition, Fido, however, is called upon to act the principal part of the exhibition: a word is dictated to him from the Greek, Latin, Italian, German, French, or English language, and selected from a vocabulary where fifty words in each tongue are inscribed, and which altogether make three hundred different combinations. An alphabet is placed before Fido, and from it he takes the letters which compose the given word, and lays them in their proper order at the feet of his master. On one occasion he was told to spell the word Heaven, and he quickly placed the letters till he came to the second e, he stood for an instant as if puzzled, but in a moment after he took the e out of the first syllable, and put it into the second. His attainments in orthography, however, are not so surprising as those in arithmetic; he prac

(g) The rest of this description of the dog is taken from Buffon; what I have added, is marked as before.