The Tower Menagerie : $b comprising the natural history of the animals contained in that establishment; with anecdotes of their characters and history.Bennett, Edward Turner
History
The Tower Menagerie : $b comprising the natural history of the animals contained in that establishment; with anecdotes of their characters and history.
These are two males and one female, belonging to the most elegant as
well as the most intelligent variety of the species, that to which
Linnæus, on account of the high degree to which the latter quality was
carried in them, gave _par excellence_ the epithet of _sagax_. They
were presented by Major, now Colonel Denham, on his return from the
most successful expedition that has perhaps ever been made into the
evil-omened regions of Central Africa, from whence they were brought by
that gallant traveller, who also gave Mr. Cops the following account of
their qualifications for the chase. He had repeatedly, he said, made use
of them in hunting the Gazelle, in their pursuit of which he had observed
that they displayed more cunning and sagacity than any dogs with which
he was acquainted, frequently quitting the line of scent for the purpose
of cutting off a double, and recovering it again with the greatest
facility. They would follow a scent after an hour and a half or even
two hours had elapsed; and the breed was therefore commonly employed in
Africa for the purpose of tracing a flying enemy to his retreat. They are
in fact, both for symmetry and action, perfect models; and there are few
sportsmen who will not regret that there appears no chance of crossing
our own pointers with this interesting breed. A mixed race, combining the
qualifications of both, would unquestionably be one of the most valuable
acquisitions to our sporting stock; but, unhappily, this union seems to
be altogether hopeless; for although they have now been more than three
years in England, and are in excellent health and condition, they appear,
like many other animals restrained of their liberty and kept constantly
together, to have no disposition to perpetuate their race. The males are
remarkably good tempered; the female on the contrary is surly and ill
natured.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
THE WOLF.
_CANIS LUPUS._ LINN.
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