The Mastiff is the largest and most powerful of the indigenous English dogs. It possesses a singularly mild and placid temper, and seems to delight in employing its great powers in affording protection to the weak, whether they be human beings or dogs. It is positively adverse to inflicting an injury upon a smaller animal (what a contrast to some animals endowed with speech!), even when it has been sorely provoked, and either looks down upon its puny tormentor with sovereign disdain and contempt, or it inflicts just sufficient punishment to indicate the vast and superior strength it could employ, but which it would not condescend to throw away upon so insignificant a foe. Yet notwithstanding all this nobility of its gentle nature, it is a most determined and courageous animal in fight, and when defending its master or his property, becomes a foe which few opponents would dare to face. Now these qualifications of mingled courage and gentleness adapt it especially for the service of watch-dog, a task in which the animal is as likely to fail by overweening zeal as by neglect of its duty. It sometimes happens that a watch-dog is too hasty in its judgment, and attacks a harmless stranger on the supposition that it is resisting the approach of an enemy.