VERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY IN 191 1 555 



those of a she-goat, whilst the second comes equally close to 

 Studer's sheep (O. a. studeri), typically from the pile-dwellings 

 of Lake Bienne, which closely resembled the wild mouflon of 

 Sardinia and Corsica. Both these breeds are stated by 

 Prof. Ewart to be represented in strata believed to be of 

 neolithic age in the Thames Valley and certain other parts 

 of England. 



Studer's sheep appears to be closely related to the small 

 brown-woolled breed inhabiting the island of Soa or Soay, 

 near St. Kilda ; and the author concludes that both are the 

 descendants of the wild mouflon, which, by the way, is miscalled 

 O. orientalisy whereas its rightful name is O. musimon. 



Much the same views are expressed by Dr. E. L. Trouessart, 

 in an article on the prehistoric origin of our domesticated 

 animals (Biologica, vol. i. pp. 296-306, Paris, 1911) ; this writer, 

 however, considers that at least some of the domesticated 

 breeds are derived from the wild Armenian O. orientalis. In 

 connexion with this derivation of domesticated sheep from one 

 or other of the above-mentioned wild species, it may be men- 

 tioned that if either really occupies the position of ancestor to the 

 European breeds, it is clearly entitled to the name of Ovis aries, 

 as typified by the domesticated sheep of Sweden. 



As regards the rest of the aforesaid article by Dr. Trouessart, 

 it must suffice to mention that the author is convinced that the 

 Indian wolf (Cams pallipes) is the ancestral stock from which at 

 least many of our domesticated dogs are descended. 



On the other hand, Dr. Conrad Keller, in a memoir on the 

 domesticated animals of the Mediterranean Islands and their 

 bearing on the origin of those of Europe generally (Neue Denks. 

 Schweiz. Naturfor. Ges. vol. xlvi. pt. 2, 191 1), has been led to 

 conclude that the prick-eared Ibiza greyhound of the Balearics 

 which in ancient times inhabited Egypt, is descended from the 

 cuberow or wild dog (C. simensis) of the mountains of Simien, 

 in Central Abyssinia ; this opinion being based on the remark- 

 able similarity between the skulls of these animals, which are 

 distinguished from those of other dogs by their excessive 

 slenderness and length. It is true, indeed, that the skull of 

 the Balearic breed is distinguished from that of the wild 

 species by the greater elevation of the frontal region but this 

 is a feature of all domesticated dogs as compared with their 

 wild relatives. 



36 



