De Canibus Britannicis: Of Englishe Dogges

by John Caius

Some be called Dogges,

For the Falcon The Phesant The Partridge

and such like,

The common sort of people call them by one generall word, namely Spaniells. As though these kinde of Dogges came originally and first of all out of Spaine, The most part of their skynnes are white, and if they be marcked with any spottes, they are commonly red, and somewhat great therewithall, the heares not growing in such thicknesse but that the mixture of them maye easely bee perceaued. Othersome of them be reddishe and blackishe, but of that sorte there be but a very few. There is also at this day among vs a newe kinde of dogge brought out of Fraunce (for we Englishe men are maruailous greedy gaping gluttons after nouelties, and couetous coruorauntes of things that be seldom, rare, straunge, and hard to get.) And they bee speckled all ouer with white and black, which mingled colours incline to a marble blewe, which bewtifyeth their skinnes and affordeth a seemely show of comlynesse. These are called French dogges as is aboue declared already.

The Dogge called the Setter, in Latine Index.

Another sort of Dogges be there, seruiceable for fowling, making no noise either with foote or with tounge, whiles they followe the game. These attend diligently vpon theyr Master and frame their conditions to such beckes, motions, and gestures, as it shall please him to exhibite and make, either going forward, drawing backeward, inclining to the right hand, or yealding toward the left, (In making mencion of fowles, my meaning is of the Partridge & the Quaile) when he hath founde the byrde, he keepeth sure and fast silence, he stayeth his steppes and wil proceede no further, and with a close, couert, watching eye, layeth his belly to the grounde and so creepeth forward like a worme. When he approcheth neere to the place where the birde is, he layes him downe, and with a marcke of his pawes betrayeth the place of the byrdes last abode, whereby it is supposed that this kinde of dogge is called Index, Setter, being in deede a name most consonant and agreable to his quality. The place being knowne by the meanes of the dogge, the fowler immediatly openeth and spreedeth his net, intending to take them, which being done the dogge at the accustomed becke or vsuall signe of his Master ryseth vp by and by, and draweth neerer to the fowle that by his presence they might be the authors of their owne insnaring, and be ready intangled in the prepared net, which conning and artificiall indeuour in a dogge (being a creature domesticall or householde seruaunt brought vp at home with offalls of the trencher & fragments of victualls,) is not much to be maruailed at, seing that a Hare (being a wilde and skippishe beast) was seene in England to the astonishment of the beholders, in the yeare of our Lorde God, 1564, not onely dauncing in measure, but playing with his former feete vppon a tabberet, and obseruing iust number of strokes (as a practicioner in that arte) besides that nipping & pinching a dogge with his teeth and clawes, & cruelly thumping him with y^e force of his feete. This is no trumpery tale, nor trifling toye (as I imagine) and therefore not vnworthy to bee reported, for I recken it a requitall of my trauaile, not to drowne in the seas of silence any speciall thing, wherin the prouidence and effectuall working of nature is to be pondered.

Of the Dogge called the water Spaniell, or finder, in Latine Aquaticus seu Inquisitor.

That kinde of Dogge whose seruice is required in fowling vpon the water, partly through a naturall towardnesse, and partly by diligent teaching, is indued with that property. This sort is somewhat bigge, and of a measurable greatnesse, hauing long, rough, and curled heare, not obtayned by extraordinary trades, but giuen by natures appointment, yet neuerthelesse (friend Gesner) I have described and set him out in this maner, namely powlde and netted from the shoulders to the hindermost legges, and to the end of his tayle, which I did for vse and customs cause, that beyng as it were made somewhat bare and naked, by shearing of such superfluitie of heare, they might atchiue the more lightnesse, and swiftnesse, and be lesse hindered in swymming, so troublesome and needelesse a burthen being shaken of. This kinde of dogge is properly called, Aquaticus, a water spaniel because he frequenteth and hath vsual recourse to the water where all his game & exercise lyeth, namely, waterfowles, which are taken by the helpe & seruice of them, in their kind. And principally duckes and drakes, wherupon he is lykewise named a dogge for the ducke, because in that quallitie he is excellent. With these dogges also we fetche out of the water such fowle as be stounge to death by any venemous worme, we vse them also to bring vs our boultes & arrowes out of the water, (missing our marcke) whereat we directed our leuell, which otherwise we should hardly recouer, and oftentimes they restore to vs our shaftes which we thought neuer to see, touche or handle againe, after they were lost, for which circumstaunces they are called Inquisitores, searchers, and finders. Although the ducke otherwhiles notably deceaueth both the dogge and the master, by dyuing vnder the water, and also by naturall subtilty, for if any man shall approche to the place where they builde, breede, and syt, the hennes go out of their neastes, offering themselues voluntarily to the hãds, as it were, of such as draw nie their neasts. And a certaine weaknesse of their winges pretended, and infirmitie of their feete dissembled, they go so slowely and so leasurely, that to a mans thinking it were no masteryes to take them. By which deceiptfull tricke they doe as it were entyse and allure men to follow them, till they be drawne a long distaunce from theyr neastes, which being compassed by their prouident conning, or conning prouidence, they cut of all inconueniences which might growe of their returne, by using many carefull and curious caueates, least theyr often haunting bewray y^e place where the young ducklings be hatched. Great therfore is theyr desire, & earnest is theyr study to take heede, not only to theyr broode but also to themselues. For when they haue an ynckling that they are espied they hide themselues vnder turfes or sedges, wherwith they couer and shrowde themselues so closely and so craftely, that (notwithstanding the place where they lurcke be found and perfectly perceaued) there they will harbour without harme, except the water spaniell by quicke smelling discouer theyr deceiptes.

Of the Dogge called the Fisher, in Latine Canis Piscator.

The Dogge called the fisher, wherof Hector Boethus writeth, which seeketh for fishe by smelling among rockes & stones, assuredly I knowe none of that kinde in Englande, neither haue I receaued by reporte that there is any suche, albeit I haue bene diligent & busie in demaunding the question as well of fishermen, as also of huntesmen in that behalfe being carefull and earnest to learne and vnderstand of them if any such were, except you holde opinion that the beauer or Otter is a fishe (as many haue beleeued) & according to their beliefe affirmed, and as the birde Pupine, is thought to be a fishe and so accounted. But that kinde of dogge which followeth the fishe to apprehend and take it (if there bee any of that disposition and property) whether they do this for the game of hunting, or for the heate of hunger, as other Dogges do which rather then they wil be famished for want of foode, couet the carckases of carrion and putrifyed fleshe. When I am fully resolued and disburthened of this doubt I wil send you certificate in writing. In the meane season I am not ignorant of that both Ælianus, and Ælius, call the Beauer κύνα ποτάμιον a water dogge, or a dogge fishe, I know likewise thus much more, that the Beauer doth participate this propertie with the dogge, namely, that when fishes be scarse they leaue the water and raunge vp and downe the lande, making an insatiable slaughter of young lambes vntil theyr paunches be replenished, and whẽ they haue fed themselues full of fleshe, then returne they to the water, from whence they came. But albeit so much be graunted that this Beauer is a dogge, yet it is to be noted that we recken it not in the beadrowe of Englishe dogges as we haue done the rest. The sea Calfe, in like maner, which our country mẽ for breuitie sake call a Seele, other more largely name a Sea Vele, maketh a spoyle of fishes betweene rockes and banckes, but it is not accounted in the catalogue or nũber of our Englishe dogges, notwithstanding we call it by the name of a Sea dogge or a sea Calfe. And thus much for our dogges of the second sort called in Latine Aucupatorij, seruing to take fowle either by land or water.

¶ A Diall pertaining to the
second Section.

Dogges seruing the disport of fowling.

are diuided into

Land spaniels Setters Water spaniels or finders.

called in latine Canes Aucupatorij

The fisher is not of their number, but seuerall.