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Show "DOG DAYS." The frjst of the Canicular, or Dog days, is so called from the ancient j" custom- of sacrificing a brown dog to appease the wrath of Sirius as soon in that star became visible to the naked eye. Sirius was supposed to cans.; the hot, sultry weather usually attendant at-tendant upon its appearance, and the ancients believed that on the first morning of its rising the sea boiled wine turned sour, dogs grew mad and that man became afflicted with burning burn-ing fevers, hysterics and frenzies. At Argos a festival was held during dur-ing dog days called Cynophontes, from four Greek words signifying "from killing dogs," when it was the custom to kill every canine creature that was met with. |