62 The Field Naturalist' s Quarteidy Feb. 



In Neolithic times, however, there were already three per- 

 fectly distinct breeds of dogs in Europe — (i) a small fox-like 

 variety ; (2) a large variety not unlike the Siberian sledge- 

 dog ; and (3) a slender variety resembling the Scottish deer- 

 hound. It is more than likely that each of these European 

 varieties had a somewhat different origin, and that yet other 

 varieties related to different members of the great wolf family 

 occurred about the same time in Asia. In fact, all we have 

 hitherto learned about the dog since Neolithic times onwards 

 suggests that while some breeds may have sprung from a 

 single species of wolf, the majority count amongst their 

 ancestors two or more wild species of wolves, if not also 

 some of the jackals. 



About most of the present-day breeds it is impossible to 

 trace their history even back to medieval times. We seem 

 to know most about hunting dogs and collies, all of which 

 seem to have sprung from the slender deerhound variety of 

 Neolithic times. If, as is often assumed, hounds and collies 

 have descended from one of the varieties of the later Stone 

 Age, they will be especially suitable for experiments intended 

 to test the truth of the " infection " hypothesis. 



In dealing with the infection hypothesis, there are two 

 very obvious lines of procedure — (i) by experiments, likely 

 to give infection a chance of declaring itself, and (2) in the 

 absence of positive experimental evidence of infection, to 

 indicate that in the supposed cases of infection recorded 

 some other explanation is equally, it may be more, feasible. 



In evidence of the view that there is no such thing as 

 infection, the late Sir Everett Millais, Bart, (an acknow- 

 ledged authority on all matters relating to dog-breeding), 

 may be quoted. 



In * Two Problems of Reproduction ' Millais tells us 

 *' that in a breeding experience of nearly thirty years' 

 standing, during which I have made all sorts of experiments 

 with pure-bred dams and wild sires, and returned them 

 afterwards to pure sires of their own breeds, I have never 

 seen a case of telegony, nor has my breeding stock suffered." 

 Continuing, Millais says, " I may further adduce the fact 

 that I have made over fifty experiments for Prof. Romanes 

 to induce a case of telegony in a variety of animals — dogs, 



