The morning journal-courier., 1908-12-02
MODERN BULLDOGS
Some of Their Most Prominent Characteristics Which Are
 of Interest,
ORIGIN OF THE SPECIES
Tho Bulldog as q Fighter and How He Camc to be One
 Bull Batting.

dogs ana bulldogs, Wnlch lS at issue between President Roosevelt and Jack London, both gentlemen display an innocence that does them credit, Neither of them is as black as he is painted by the Society for the Pre- vention of Cruelty to Animals,
 1t will be recalled that in White Fang MT. London described very yiv- idly a fight between bulldog and a dog that was half wolf, in which the latter was being choked to death when rescued by the man hero of the story. TO this piece of nature study Presi- dent Roosevelt objected on tho ground that bulldog could not lick Q wolf dog. Mir, London retorts that 1t is matter of opinion, says the Phlla- delphia Ledger.
 The thing which is not a matter of opinion at all but which has not been mentioned in the disGussioh is that Q. bulldog Is moi d fighting dog at all. Although he seems to have been bliss fully unaware of the difference he tween a bulldog and a bull terrier (popularly called "terrler"). MT. Londons account of the imaginary fight was all right fin so far as it ap- piled 10 the wolf good bulldog would have done just what he was said to have done. and could only win by stransling his opponent. The part of tho story that dog breeders will object to is the reference to the previous triumphant career in the pit ot the conqucror of the wolf hybrid
 Now, there could have been no such career for bulldog lr lucky, he might have won one fight but the chances would probably be strongly against him., and the probability Is that Inc would have been killed first time he was scratched"
 A hundred years ago and more the bulldog was a fighting dog, but he was more or less of failure at the job lIe did not derive his fame from his fight Ing prowess, but on account of his courage. He was used for bull batting.
 Now bull batting does not mean bull fighting, although 1t is popularly sup- posed that the bull and the Jog were turned loose and fought after the man. ner of the beasts of Ephcsus What happened was that of Sunday morn ing the owner of a bun would take his stand on tho village green Smithfcld was a favorte spot and the dogs would he assembled by their owners. The hull was tcthered and then tho testing of the dogs courage or the batting of the bull, would begin
 The duty of the dog was Co rush in and seize the bull by tho nose and hold him. The delight of tho bull was to disembowel the dog. If one dog was gored and disabled, or killed as often happened, nc was out Of thc contest. and another dog was sci on. The pri2n. or bet or whatever was at stake was awarded 10 the dog that went rarthest and fairest in.
 After the contest the owners of the dogs paid the owner of the bull a shill- ing apiece for his kind service, and the bull was taken home and had his snout dressed
 A generation or so of this kind of work taught the dog owners that the courage of the dogs being equal, it was the lowest dog the fellow that was closest to the ground, that offered the bull the smallest opportunity for tossing Therefore they selected the short-legged cloddv dogs for the work That is why the modern bulldog is a short-legged heavy-set animal
 It is worth noting that the bull was allowed to protect his nose by thrust ing it into hole scooped in the ground, and it is q fact that some willy old bulls, not having this perquisito allowed thom paved out holes for themselves
 Another thing was found out tno As soon as a dog sunk his teeth in inc pulpy nose of the bull the flesh of the tortured animal would swell, so that it covered the dogs nostris and ire duently chokod him off Therefore the inderatigable dog breeders set themselves to breed tho turnup, which is SO desired a feature of the modern bulldog, It was not long before they had the dog whose breathing was un- affected hy thc swelling of the bull's nose, as Its nosrlls were well back from the line formed by the clonched teeth
 Finally. the owners of tho bulls were won't to complain loudly of tho dam. age some of the long-teethed dogs did to tho huIrs features Too frequently the bulls countcuance would wear out in the course of q. mornngs diversion Willing to oblge. the dog breeders ho- gan to call out the louG-tccthod dogs and propagatcd only CD the courageous dog that went fairest and fauhest in; co tho low set dog, that was eX tromoly hard to gore; C@) tho dog whose turned mp nose enabled him tC breathe comfortably wuil" the hmls flesh swollcd, and CO the dog whose teeth were eo short as not to do unno- cessary damage 10 thc bull
 Alas for the good old days, The gov ernment made bull batting illegal and the bulldog found their occupation gone, Then lt was that dog tgntlng had its vogue at first openly but for many years past secretly.
 Tho dogs that had battlod with the bulls were now nittcd against each oth- CT, and your respectful attention is called to the otymology of the word ''pttcd" and the sport of cock fight ing. Here was demanded great cour- age, as in bull batting, but there was also demanded long teeth, and not only an ability to withstand any punish- mont, but the ability to innict it.
 Bermuda possesses a plant of thc house lorlf family which has curious properties. When inc leaves begin tr ebryol and fade they put forth now shoots, which iu turn bear leaves that