Forty-six inns in Essex exhibit signs which are more or less canine. A few of these may have had their origin in Heraldry; but there can be no doubt that, in the great majority of cases, the signs have originated in the modern use of the dog, whether for sporting or other purposes. At Wethersfield and Halstead the DOG appears alone; at East Horndon there is an OLD DOG; a POINTER exists at Alresford; and at Colchester, East Mersey, and Tolleshunt Knights the DOG AND PHEASANT appears; while at Stifford and Great Leighs (beer-house) the DOG AND PARTRIDGE is used, as it was also at *Halstead sixty years ago. The sign of the SPOTTED DOG, although it is not mentioned by Hotten, occurs four times, namely at Witham, Barking, Chelmsford, and West Ham, and there is a beer-house of the same name at Braintree. The sole use of the Spotted, or Dalmatian, Dog in this country, says a writer in the _Gentleman’s Magazine_, “is to contribute, by the beauty of its appearance, to the splendour of the stable establishment, constantly attending the horses and carriage to which he belongs.” On October 22, 1804, a disastrous and fatal fire took place at the SPOTTED DOG, *Chelmsford. The details are given in a scarce pamphlet, reprinted in Hughson’s _London_ (vol. vi. p. 246). It seems that about 120 Hanoverian soldiers marched into Chelmsford on the day in question, and about 70 of them took up their lodgings in the stables of this inn. While most of them were asleep it was discovered that the straw upon which they lay had caught fire. All were, of course, at once aroused, but being unused to the fastening of the door, they were unable to open it. When at last it was opened and the inmates liberated, many of them were sorely burned, and others had their clothing on fire. The flames were got under after a time, but not until they had extended to other stables and burned several horses. On clearing away the rubbish, the bodies of no less than thirteen of the Hanoverian soldiers who had perished in the flames were found. They were afterwards buried with military honours in the church. At Hordon-on-the-Hill there is a BLACK DOG (beer-house). The SHEPHERD AND DOG is a device which [Illustration: DOG’S HEAD IN POT. (_After Larwood and Hotten._)]