42 Maynard on the Mammals of Florida. 



speak of a Wild Dog as inhabiting Florida. They cannot 

 mean the Wolf or the Fox, for these are included in their 

 lists of the animals of the then new country. It is possible 

 that the singular species of dog now used by tlie Seminoles 

 of Florida was once wild. 



Domesticated Species found in a Wild State. 



There are hundreds of cattle in Florida which are now 

 perfectly wild and have been in this condition since the first 

 Indian war, at which time they escaped from their owners. 

 They generally inhabit what is termed the ''Turnbull 

 Swamp," a wide expanse of waste land which lies about 

 the head of Indian River. But I have seen them in the in- 

 terior, near the head waters of the St. John's River. They 

 are rapidly becoming exterminated, however, as the settlers 

 consider them common property and shoot them whenever 

 they can. 



Hogs are also found wild in some sections, but not in any 

 great numbers. The usually black color of the domestic 

 hogs of Florida has been noticed by Darwin in his fifth 

 edition of "Origin of Species" (p. 26) on the authority of 

 Professor Wyman. He says that the light-colored hogs con- 

 tract a disease from eating the Paint-root {Lachnanthes tine- 

 toria ) which causes their hoofs to drop off, whereas black 

 ones are not affected by it. I have carefully inquired into 

 this matter and have not only observed for myself, but con- 

 versed with many intelligent men upon the subject. I find 

 that a slight error has been made in the statement. The 

 color of the hair or bristles has nothing to do with the 

 health of the animal, but its hoofs must be black in order 

 that it may eat the paint root with impunity. I have seen 

 black pigs having white feet lame from this cause, and this 



