are corresponding or representative kinds in South America, and even in New Holland, but the wolf itself is wanting beyond the line, and, in truth, is not required.

Richardson states its resemblance to a wild species | character in India, beyond the Crishna, and there called the prairie wolf (Conis latrans of Say) to be so great, that on comparing live specimens together he could detect no difference in form (the cranium is somewhat less in the domesticated kind) nor in the texture of the fur, nor the arrangement of the patches of color. It seems to bear the same relation to the prairie wolf that the Esquimaux dog does to the more gigantic gray species. It is very playful and affectionate, easily attached by kindness, but has an insuperable dislike to confine

ment.

"A young puppy," says the traveller last named, "which I purchased from the Hare Indians, became greatly attached to me, and when about seven months old, ran on the snow by the side of my sledge for nine hundred miles, without suffering from fatigue. During this march it frequently of its own accord carried a small twig, or one of my mittens for a mile or two; but although very gentle in its manners, it showed little aptitude in learning any of the arts which the Newfoundland dogs so speedily acquire, of fetching and carrying when ordered. This dog was killed and eaten by an Indian on the Sackatchewan, who pretended that he mistook it for a fox."*

The still more important fact (as bearing on at Jeast one branch of the genealogy of the canine race) mentioned by Captain Back, may be kept in mind, that the offspring of the wolf and dog are themselves prolific, and are prized by the voyagers as beasts of draught, being stronger than the ordinary dogs." "I have seen," says Pallas, "at Moscow, about twenty spurious animals from dogs and black wolves. They are for the most part like wolves, except that some carry their tails higher, and have a kind of coarse barking. They multiply among themselves, and some of the whelps are grayish rusty, or even of the whitish hue of the arctic wolves." The variation of color of the wolf in the wild state, is worthy of remark. The most frequent among the Pyrenees is entirely black. It is called lobo in Spain, and is so like a huge ferocious dog, that many regard it as a hybrid or mixed breed. Lewis and Clark inform us that the wolves of the Missouri are of every shade, from a gray or blackish brown to a cream-colored white. In Canada, and further north, they are often seen entirely white. In the fur countries, they are sometimes noticed with black patches, that is, pied, but associated with those of the ordinary gray color; and Sir John Richardson, on one occasion, observed five young wolves, apparently belonging to the same litter, (they were leaping and tumbling over each other as if in play,) of which one was pied, another entirely black-the rest gray. Now, this natural range of color is a circumstance of considerable importance in respect to our present inquiry, in as far as the tendency to become white at one extremity of the series, and black at the other, combined with the central or representative hue, which is brown, may be said to supply the three great elementary colors of all the races of domestic dogs. We have not the slightest doubt that the wolf is the progenitor of many of our northern kinds.

But in regard to many of the southern sorts, the case is different. We believe it to be the opinion of the best instructed naturalists, that the wolf (Canis lupus) does not occur at all to the south of the equator. There are wild dogs of a wolfish

It is well known that both wild and tame dogs are indigenous to South America, although wolves, properly so called, do not occur there. The native languages designate the former kinds by names which are not found in European tongues. To this day the word auri, mentioned by Herera more than 300 years ago, occurs in the Maypure language.

The largest wild animal of the canine race in South America, is the maned aguara-Canis jubatus. It is not found to the north of the equator, but occurs chiefly in the swampy and more open regions of Paraguay, and the bushy plains of Campos Geraes. Its habits are solitary. It swims with great facility, and hunts by scent, feeding on small game, aquatic animals, &c.

"The aguara guazu," for such is its native name," is not a dangerous animal, being much less daring than the wolves of the north; it is harmless to cattle, and the opinion commonly held in Paraguay, that beef cannot be digested by its stomach, was in some measure verified by Dr. Parlet, who found by experiments made upon a captive animal, that it rejected the raw flesh after deglutition, and only retained it when boiled. Kind treatment to this individual did not produce confidence or familiarity even with dogs. Its sight was not strong in the glare of day; it retired to rest at ten in the morning, and again about midnight. In the dark the eyes sometimes shone like those of a true wolf. When let loose the animal refused to acknowledge command, and would avoid being taken till driven into a corner, where it lay couched until grasped by the hand, without offering further resistance. The aguara guazu, though not hunted, is exceedingly distrustful, and having an excellent scent and acute hearing, is always enabled to keep at a distance from man; and though often seen, is but seldom within reach of the gun. The female litters in the month of August, having three or four whelps. Its voice consists in a loud and repeated drawling cry, sounding like a-gou-ā-ā-ã, which is heard to a considerable distance.'

We may here state the well-established fact, that canine animals do not bark at all in the natural state. They only howl. Barking is a habit, we shall not say whether good or bad-it probably has both advantages and drawbacks-acquired under artificial circumstances, and by no means natural. Even domestic dogs run wild, speedily cease to bark, and take rather to a sharp prolonged howling, while, vice versa, the silent species of barbarous or semi-civilized nations, ere long acquire the bark of our domesticated kinds, and like many other creatures of a higher class, become so conceited of their new attainment, as not seldom to give tongue most vociferously when they ought to hold their peace.

The unreclaimed animal above referred to, has been called the aguara wolf, although its head is somewhat smaller than the head of that animal, and its legs are proportionally longer. It is nearly four feet and a half in length, and stands about twenty-six inches high. But there are other wild species in South America, called aguara dogs, from their still greater resemblance to the old domesticated kinds of that continent. The latter were no doubt originally derived from the former,

*Colonel Hamilton Smith in Naturalist's Library, Mammalia, vol. ix., p. 243.

NATURAL HISTORY AND ORIGIN OF DOGS.

although for a long period the native Indians have hand, and in the other a knife ready to stick them.
encouraged the increase of the European breed, As far as I am aware, there is no other instance in
which they name perro from the Spanish term. any part of the world, of so small a mass of broken
These nations universally admit the descent of their land, distant from a continent, possessing so large
own breed from the wild species of the woods. an aboriginal quadruped peculiar to itself. Their
But within the last thirty or forty years, the indig- numbers have rapidly decreased; they are already
enous domesticated dogs have been almost entire-banished from that half of the island which lies to
Within a very
ly superseded by the European kinds, which, as the eastward of the neck of land between St. Sal-
hunting dogs, are capable of enduring much more vador Bay and Berkley Sound.
few years after these islands shall have become
fatigue.
regularly settled, in all probability this creature will
be classed with the Dodo, as an animal which has
perished from the face of the earth."*

It would appear that in the southern parts of South America, there are not now any dogs in a truly wild state, and that such as live with the naCaptain Of the eastern or southern dogs of the Old tives are rather scarce than numerous. Fitzroy describes the dog of Patagonia as being World, several varieties are assuredly derived from equal in size to a large fox-hound, and bearing a jackals, or from certain animals commonly classed general resemblance to the lurcher and shepherd's with these, such as the Thoan group, which indog, but with an unprepossessing and very wolfish cludes the deeb, or wild dog of Egypt, (Canis anaspect. They hunt by sight, do not give tongue, thus,) the thous of Nubia, the zenlee of the Hotbut growl and bark when in the act of attacking or tentots, the tulki of the Persians, and the great Those of Terra del Fuego are jackal, or wild dog of Natolia-thous acmon. being attacked. much smaller, resembling terriers, or a mixture of All these more or less resemble wolves on a small the fox, shepherd's dog, and terrier. They guard scale, being intermediate in size between them and the dwellings of the natives, and bark furiously on the true jackals. They do not burrow like the the approach of strangers. They are also em- latter, are not gregarious, consequently do not howl ployed in hunting otters, and in catching wounded in concert as the jackals do, and have little or no As they are scarcely ever fed, offensive odor. Many eastern domesticated dogs or sleeping birds. they supply themselves at low water by dexterous- bear a close resemblance to one or other of these ly detaching limpets from the rocks, or crunching species. Professor Kretschmer is of opinion that mussels. During periods of famine, so valuable the Egyptians obtained their domestic breed from are dogs in some of the far parts of South Ameri- the deeb; and Colonel Hamilton Smith suspects ca, that, according to Captain Fitzroy, "it is well that the greyhound of the desert was originally deascertained that the oldest women of the tribe are rived from a species very nearly allied, if not actu"domestic sacrificed to the cannibal appetites of their country-ally belonging, to the same section. Dogs,' men, rather than destroy a single dog. say they, catch otters; old women are good for nothing. We have known many excellent, and by no means useless, old women.

"If," says the last named author, dogs were merely wolves modified by the influence of man's wants, surely the curs of Mohammedan states, refused domestic care, left to roam after their own free will, and only tolerated in Asiatic cities in the capacity of scavengers, would long since have resumed some of the characters of the wolf; there has unquestionably been sufficient time for that purpose, since we find allusion made to these animals in the laws of Moses; they were then already considered unclean, for all cattle worried, injured, or not killed as the law prescribed, were ordered to be flung to them."

The absence of wild dogs from the most southern countries of South America, is rendered more remarkable by the well-known fact, that a truly wild species, nearly allied to the aguara dog, though distinct from it, occurs in the Falkland Islands. It is the only native quadruped of that group, (if we except possibly a field mouse,) and is known to naturalists under the name of Canis antarcticus. It is well known that the streets and suburbs of Mr. Darwin believes it to be quite peculiar to that archipelago, although not confined to the western island, as some. have supposed. All the seal-hunt-eastern towns are still greatly infested by these ers, Guachos, and Indians, who have visited these animals, to which reference was no doubt made by "They return at evening; they islands, maintain that no such creature is found in King David, when he prays to be delivered from any part of South America. Molina, indeed, sup- his enemies. Their savage nature is furposed that it was identical with the culpeu of the main-make a noise like a dog, and go round about the land; but that is assuredly a different species, the city." Ps. liv. 6.

reel

Canis Magellanicus, brought to this country some ther illustrated by the fate of Jezebel; and a race
years ago by Captain King, from the straits from of wild dogs is reported to have particularly infest-
whence it takes its name, and common in Chili.ed the banks of the Kishon, and the district of Jez-
These Falkland wolves, or wild dogs, were de
scribed by Commodore Byron, who noted their
tameness and prying disposition-attributes which
the sailors, mistaking for fierceness, avoided by
To this day
taking sudden refuge in the water.
their manners remain the same.

Even in recent times, a very dangerous canine
animal is said to follow the caravans from Bassora
to Aleppo. It is called sheeb by the Arabs, and
all who are bitten by it are believed to die of the
wound. Dr. Russell endeavors to explain this
"They have been observed," says Mr. Darwin, fatal result by supposing the creature to be in a
"to enter a tent, and actually pull some meat from state of madness, that is, laboring under hydropho-
The bia; but he forgets that these wild animals are gre-
beneath the head of a sleeping seaman.
Guachos, also, have frequently in the evening garious, several travelling together, which mad dogs
killed them, by holding out a piece of meat in one never do. It has indeed been questioned whether
hydrophobia exists at all in Western Asia. Colo

*The horses, horned cattle, hogs, and rabbits, though now numerous, have all been originally imported from other countries.

*Journal of Researches, p. 194.

+ Naturalist's Library, Mammalia, vol. ix., p. 97. Encyc. of Biblical Literature, I., 570.

nel Hamilton Smith states it to be unknown there place in the genealogical tree of our domestic among the cur dogs of the cities.*

dogs.

66

It is, however, by no means unlikely that the They associate readily with dogs, and hybrid larger, fiercer, and more powerful dogs of the east offspring is not uncommon; nor is there a doubt may have had some cross of the true wolf, because, that these mules are again prolific. The domestic although the latter animal is not now found in cur-dogs of all the nations where the jackal is Judea, it is well known in Asia Minor, and the found, bear evidence of at least a greater intermixgorges of Cilicia. The Syrian wolf, at least of ture of their blood in the native races. The fact modern times, is a jackal. The geographical dis- is strikingly exemplified in the greater number of tribution of animals, we need scarcely here notice, the cur pariahs of India, and the home breeds of has been greatly changed in consequence of the al- Turkish Asia, as well as of the negroes and the interations on the condition of the earth's surface, habitants of the great islands of the Indian Seas. produced by man himself. Hence, not only the M. Jeannon Naviez, mayor of Coire, is or was wolf, but the beaver and the bear have ceased to be lately in possession of a hybrid dog, produced by a numbered among the inhabitants of Britain, and the cross of the smaller wolf dog (Pomeranian) and zeeb of Hebrew and Arabian writers, the ravening jackal. It was of small size, but so quarrelsome wolf of our translations of the Sacred Scriptures, and fierce that all other dogs were afraid to assodoes not now occur in the countries of Palestine. ciate with it. Voracious in the extreme-duckThe genuine jackals are somewhat less in size lings, chickens, all that came within reach, it dethan those above referred to, and differ likewise in voured; and of such activity, that it sprung upon their distribution, being not only found like the walls, and bounded along them with the security of others in Africa and Western Asia, but also in the a cat. It was very affectionate to the owner; but east of Europe and Southern India. They form not a good watcher-seldom barking, and very fond burrows in the earth, assemble together in numer- of digging in the ground." ous troops, and have an offensive odor. They howl almost incessantly, and their melancholy cry, which commences at sunset, and seldom ceases till the morning, is a well-known nuisance in eastern lands. They follow the footsteps of the greater feline animals, such as the lion and tiger, for the sake, as some suppose, of securing the remnants of their prey; but assuredly, so far from providing for the king of beasts, it is believed that they often do all in their power to circumvent and disappoint him. In regard at least to the tiger, it is well known in India, that while on ordinary occasions the nocturnal cry of a jackal is responded to by all his companions around, till the leafy woods become as the howling wilderness, there is a peculiar note of warning uttered by one of these creatures on the approach of the feline monster, which sinks the voices of all the others into the profoundest silence.

These lesser jackals (there are several species) also enter into cities after dark for the purpose of preying upon offal, or whatever else they can obtain. They devour carrion, whether exposed or subterranean; that is to say, they will exercise their activity in digging into sepulchres, if these have not been properly protected. But during the fruit season they skulk about the vineyards, and grow fat on grapes. Although the offensive smell of the genuine jackals renders them unpleasant inmates in a family, they are by no means difficult to tame. We knew one which went about the house like a lank, long-legged terrier, and showed his difference of disposition chiefly in an uncurable habit of gnawing the legs and arms of handsome mahogany chairs, to the great destruction of French varnish, and every other kind of polish. There is no doubt that these animals are also entitled to an important

*Naturalist's Library, Mammalia, vol. ix., p. 175. Although other species, when bitten, may be infected by this rabies, it seems to originate solely in animals of the dog kind, or those nearly allied. In India, hyænas, wolves, jackals and foxes are subject to it, as well as domesticated dogs. When it attacks wild animals, it seems to deprive them of all fear of man The European wolf, in a state of madness, instead of avoiding, rather seeks out the human race as his victims; and in France even foxes, under that strange and mysterious influence,

have run into and been killed in the midst of crowds assembled in a market-place,

But besides the jackals, there is another important group of wild canine animals, known by the general name of "red dogs," which are extensively spread over many regions of the Old World, and are represented in the New by the aguara wolf already mentioned, and in Australia by the dingho of New South Wales. In Asia they may be traced from the southern slopes of the Himalaya mountains as far south as Ceylon, and from the shores of the Mediterranean eastwards into the Chinese dominions. They usually want the second tubercular tooth of the lower jaw-are rather long-bodied, with the eyes somewhat oblique, and the soles of the feet hairy. They are believed not to burrow, and lead a retired life in the jungles. Their natural cry resembles a kind of barking; and they hunt both by night and day, in small packs. Although fearful of the human race, they attack all other creatures courageously, even the savage and more powerful kinds, such as the wild boar and the buffalo, and are said, by acting in cooperation, to brave the strength and ferocity of the tiger. They seem, indeed, to bear as inherent a hatred towards all the larger feline animals as so many of the dogs of Europe do to our domesticated cats; and they are described as being incessantly on the watch to destroy their cubs. The union of concert and courage which they display in their encounters with the adults, is assigned by Indian sport men as the chief cause of the alarm which a tiger exhibits at the sight of a dog, even of a domestic spaniel.

To the group of red dogs belongs that peculiar and highly interesting species discovered in the Nepaul country, by Mr. Hodgson, and described by him under the title of Canis primavus. Its native name is buansa. This kind hunts both by day and night, assembled in small packs of from six to ten individuals, and follows its game more by scent than sight, as may be inferred from the nature of the localities which it inhabits, and wears it out by continuous perseverance. Although irreclaimable in the adult state, its puppies, when captured early and shown a good example by being reared along with our domesticated kinds, are both gentle and sagacious. The species inhabits wooded and rocky mountain ranges between the Sutledj and Brahma

* Naturalist's Library, Mammalia.—Vol. ix., p. 212.

pootra, and, under certain modifications, seems to | only the emancipated or bewildered descendants of extend far southward to the Ghauts, the Nielgher- the latter. ries, and the coast of Coromandel. Mr. Hodgson "In the present case, however, the wild pariah was long resident in Nepaul, and was, we believe, is found in numerous packs, not only in the jungles the first to give us a distinct account of the buansa. of India proper, but also in the lower ranges of the He maintains it to be the original source of all do- Himalaya mountains, and is possessed of all the mesticated dogs throughout the world, and hence characteristics of primeval independence, without his Adamic-looking designation of Canis primavus. having assumed the similitude of wolves or jackals, Having all the habits of the hound, it may naturally which systematists seem to think must be the result be presumed, amongst hunting nations, to have been of returning from slavery to freedom. There is early reclaimed, and easily educated for the chase-nowhere any notice taken that they burrow, appaa pleasant pastime, and may no doubt in this way rently resembling in this respect the rest of the have originated the hunting races of different and present group; they associate in large numbers, very distant tribes. But as Mr. Low has observed, and thereby approximate jackals; but their voice is "there is nothing in the characters of this, more totally different. In form, the wild pariah is more than in those of any other given species, that can bulky than the last mentioned species, but low in enable us to conclude that it can have produced all the legs, and assuming the figure of a turnspit; and the dogs of the world. There is no more resem- the tail, of a middling length, without much flexibiliblance between this mountain hound of Nepaul, and ty, is more bushy at the end than at the base; the the sledge-dog of Greenland, than between the grey- ears are erect, pointed, and turned forward; the hound of Persia, and the terrier of England."* eyes hazle; the density of fur varies according to We may here briefly mention, that the wild dog latitude, and the rufous color of the whole body is called kolsun, described by Col. Sykes, the dhole darker in the north than in the south, where there (so called) discovered by Mr. Wooler among the is a silvery tinge, instead of one of black, upon the Mahablishwar hills, and the quihee, as indentified upper parts. They are said to have five claws by Dr. Spry, are all referable to the buansa race. upon all the feet, but whether there be a molar less in the lower jaw is not known. This species is in general so similar to the domestic, that if it were not ascertained that they existed in great numbers in the wildest forests at the base of the Himalayas, all possessing uniform colors, they would be considered, in the lower provinces, as of the domestic breed, and are often mistaken for them when they follow armies. The domestic pariahs, however, are less timid, generally more mixed with other races of dogs, more mangy about the skin, and variously colored in the fur."*

The wild dog of Beloochistan is both shy and ferocious, and keeps aloof from all human habitations. It is referred to by Colonel Hamilton Smith, as being one of the two species of wild canines which occur in the woody mountains of southeastern Persia, and probably extend along the lofty lands west of the Indus into Cabul. It hunts in packs of twenty or thirty, and when thus congregated will attack a bullock or a buffalo, and tear it in pieces in a few moments.

Allied to these are the dogs called dholes in India, so named from an ancient Asiatic root, signifying recklessness. The true dhole (Chryseus scylax of Hamilton Smith) is described as intermediate in size between the wolf and the jackal, slightly made, of a light bay color, with a sharp face, and fierce keen eyes. In form it approaches the greyhound; the tail is straight, not bushy; the ears wide, pointed, open, and triangular; the skin is dark, with the nose, muzzle, back of the ears, and feet, of a sooty hue. It is reported to hunt in large packs, and to utter a cry, while on the scent, resembling that of a fox-hound, intermingled with snarling yelps. Dr. Daniel Johnston saw a pack attack a wild boar. The dholes have been sometimes domesticated and employed in the chase. Captain Williamson admits their fleetness, but says that they are not to be depended upon for coursing, being apt to give up during a severe run, or turn aside to goats or sheep. They are, however, valuable in hog hunting. The true dhole, we understand, is a rare species, and seems to occur chiefly in the Rhamghany hills, and sometimes in the western Ghauts. The wild dog of Ceylon (Canis Ceylonicus of Shaw) is likewise a dhole.

The pariah dogs of India now demand a brief notice. It has been long a vexed question whether these pariah races were a mongrel breed, descended from domesticated species of a higher class, or the offspring of indigenous wild animals, themselves native to the jungles. Naturalists (misled, it may be, in this, as in other instances, by the brilliant, though not seldom foundationless, discourses of Buffon) have generally inferred as a fact, that where wild and domesticated races, nearly allied, were found to occur in the same country, the former were *Domesticated Animals, p. 649.

The domesticated pariahs of India are, indeed, a very mingled race, sometimes only half reclaimed, and frequently exhibit in their outer aspect the most unequivocal signs of degradation. Though noisy and cowardly, they are not without a certain degree of sagacity, and are consequently trained by the Sheckarees to their own mode of sporting, and are sometimes employed by the villagers in their hunts. Bishop Heber was forcibly struck by finding "the same dog-like and amiable qualities in these neglected animals as in their more fortunate brethren in Europe." They are frequently in a condition of even greater neglect and wretchedness than those of the Levant; and Captain Williamson informs us that alligators are kept in the ditches of some of the Carnatic forts, and that all the pariah dogs found within the walls are thrown over as provision for those many-toothed monsters.

The pariahs, that is street dogs, of Egypt, though also greatly degenerated by an uncertain sustenance, and frequent intermixture with curs of low degree, still retain marks of pure and ancient blood, referable to the Akaba greyhound of the deserts, a large and savage race, much prized by the wandering Bedouins, who employ it in the chase of the antelope, and as a guard upon their tents and cattle. This species of gaze-hound greatly resembles, in its general form and character, the representations of canine animals on the ancient monuments of Egypt. As all the wild species have the ears erect, and as so many of the domestic races have these parts folded, or drooping, it has been inferred that this deflected character is the result of domestication. There are figures of greyhounds, and other dogs, almost invariably with the ears.

* Naturalist's Library, Mammalia.—Vol. ix., p. 184.

erect, on the Egyptian catacombs of the Theban | was a fair field and no favor. In confinement, these kings, above three thousand years old, while the animals have been described as being for the most Greek sculptures of the age of Pericles, that is nearly a thousand years after the earliest pictures, only then began to exhibit a corresponding race with the organs of hearing half deflected. The ancient Persian sculptures of Takhti Boustan (of the Parthian era) represent no dogs with drooping ears. Col. Hamilton Smith points out the only very ancient eastern outline of a dog with completely pendulous ears, in an Egyptian hunting scene, published by Caillaud, and taken, it is believed, from the catacombs above referred to. In this instance, however, it is not a greyhound, but a lyemer, (lymme, a thong,) or dog led by a leash or slip rope, the accompanying hunter bearing his bow in hand. He regards it as representing the Elymean dog, perhaps first introduced to Egypt by the shepherd kings, or brought home by Sesostris, after his expedition to the Oxus. It may be said generally that the ears of domestic dogs were originally upright and pointed in all the races with long hair and a sharp muzzle; half erect in those with similar heads, but short hair, and pendulous in the blunter-headed kinds.