Canis Minor is usually pictured as a Spaniel standing on the bank of the Milky Way and gazing across its river of stars at the giant Orion with his club upraised against the Bull. Although this dog is usually said to be Orion's dog, it is sometimes claimed to be one of Diana's hounds that followed her in the hunt. Other legends claim that Canis Minor was the dog of Icarus who discovered the slaying of his master by the shepherds of Attica and for this was placed among the stars. Procyon, the brightest star in this constellation, is called the "Little Dog's Star." It appears above the eastern horizon on the 23rd of January just after darkness, and shines for about half an hour before Sirius appears upon the scene. [Figure 118] Sirius is the head star of Canis Major and the brightest star in the sky. This dog sits at the feet of Orion watching Lepus, the Hare. TAURUS, THE BULL [Figure 119] "Aries glorious in his golden wool, Looks back and wonders at the mighty Bull." --_Manilius._ This is the bull that Orion chases backwards across the winter's sky, although only his foremost portion is visible among the stars. The rest of this creature might be imagined as hidden behind a cloud; but no, mythologists say the other half is immersed beneath the waves of the sea. Beneath the waves of the sea! It looks to us as if he were defending himself with considerable gusto against the advance of Orion, for did we not see him clamber backwards up the slope in the east only an hour and a half ahead of the giant who rose with his star club lifted menacingly above his head? "Thy hoofs, unwilling, climb the sphery vault; Thy red eye trembles in an angry glare, When the hounds follow, and in fierce assault Bay through the fringes of the lion's hair." --_Bayard Taylor._ If thus engaged, why was Taurus placed in the sky with a little cross-section of the sea about him? It was quite likely, we find, to preserve a note on the following legend: Jupiter, the great ruler of Olympus, once changed himself into a snow-white bull. Such baffling disguises were the delight of this god when he had some particular object in view. This particular time he wished to carry off Europa, Princess of Phœnicia. He found the Princess playing in the meadow "joyous, fresh, with roses bound About her sunny head, and on her cheek The glow of morn." and placing himself conspicuously amongst the scenery, he soon caught her attention. As soon as Europa spied this strange, white, gentle-appearing creature, she ran over to it, caressed it, and finally climbed upon its back. No sooner had she done this, than the bull, gathering the speed of the wind, ran to the sea-shore, plunged into the waves, and swam to the Island of Crete. "Sweet Europa's mantle blew unclasp'd From off her shoulders backward borne;