f looking at the sheep, with an intention to purchase them, he went
through the flock with the dog at his foot, to whom he secretly gave a
signal, so as to let him know the particular sheep he wanted, perhaps to
the number of ten or twelve, out of a flock of some hundreds; he then went
away, and from a distance of several miles, sent back the dog by himself
in the night time, who picked out the individual sheep that had been
pointed out to him, separated them from the flock, and drove them before
him, frequently a distance of ten or twelve miles, till he came up with
his master, to whom he delivered up his charge.

[Illustration]

ANECDOTE XX.

The Dog and Goose.

A goose was once observed to attach itself in the strongest and most
affectionate manner to the house dog, but never presumed to go into the
kennel except in rainy weather; whenever the dog barked, the goose would
cackle, and run at the person she supposed the dog barked at, and try to
bite him by the heels. Sometimes she would attempt to feed with the dog;
but this the dog, who treated his faithful companion with indifference,
would not suffer. This bird would not go to roost with the others at
night, unless driven by main force; and when in the morning they were
turned into the field, she would never stir from the yard gate, but sit
there the whole day in sight of the dog. At length orders were given that
she should no longer be molested; being thus left to herself, she ran
about the yard with him all night, and what is particularly remarkable,
whenever the dog went out of the yard and ran into the village, the goose
always accompanied him, contriving to keep up with him by the assistance
of her wings, and in this way of running and flying, followed him all over
the parish. This extraordinary affection of the goose towards the dog,
which continued till his death, two years after it was first observed, is
supposed to have originated in his having saved her from a fox, in the
very moment of distress.

While the dog was ill, the goose never quitted him, day or night, not even
to feed; and it was apprehended that she would have been starved to death
had not a pan of corn been set every day close to the kennel. At this time
the goose generally sat in the kennel, and would not suffer any one to
approach it, except the person who brought the dog's, or her own food. The
end of this faithful bird was melancholy; for when the dog died, she would
still kee