from the string in his mouth, and, after a few
joyful capers around his friend, departed on his
travels in the highest glee at his success.”
That the faculty of measuring the succession of time belongs to the dog, appears to be proved by many recorded incidents. Mr. Bell mentions a Newfoundland dog, kept at an inn in Dorsetshire, which "was accustomed every morning as the clock struck eight, to take in his mouth a certain basket, placed for the purpose, and containing a few pence, and to carry it across the street to a baker’s, who took out the money, and replaced it by a certain number of rolls. With these Neptune hastened back to the kitchen, and safely deposited his trust; but, what was well worthy of remark, he never attempted to take the basket, or even to approach it on Sunday mornings."[1]
Mr. Jesse adduces an instance of the accurate measurement of a much longer period. "There were two friends, one living in London, and the other at Guildford. These friends were on terms of great intimacy; and for many years it had been the custom for the London family to pass the Christmas at Guildford; and their uniform practice was to arrive to dinner the day before Christmas day, and to be accompanied by a large spaniel, who was as great a favourite with the visited as with the visitors. At the end of about seven years after this plan had been adhered to, the two families had an unfortunate misunderstanding, which occasioned an omission of the usual Christmas invitation. About an hour before dinner on the day before Christmas day, the Guildford gentleman, standing at his window, exclaimed to his
- ↑ Brit. Quad. p. 244.
