On Indian Dogs. $ 



as is alfo, perhaps, its complete domeftication. If it were 

 immediately derived from the wolf, we ought, at leaft, to 

 allow the Americans fome fhare of merit for the fuccefsful 

 pains they had taken to reclaim this animal from the wild 

 ferocity of his nature. 



This fpecies or variety of dog appears to have been pretty 

 exlenfively diffufed through the fouthern parts of the conti- 

 nent of America, and certainly exlfted in fome of the iflands 

 when they were firR difcovered by Columbus. Peter Martyr, 

 and after him other hiftorians, mention the difcovery of mute 

 little dogs in the ifland of Juanna in the year 1492. Martyr 

 fays they were deformed in fliape, and that the favages ate of 

 them as the Europeans did of goats*. I cannot find that 

 this fpecies was difcovered among any of the Indian tribes 

 inhabiting the traft of country now called the United States.- 

 It is not certain, indeed, that the dogs which Soto found in. 

 Florida were not of the alco kind : I think it highly proba- 

 ble, however, that they were not, but that they were much 

 more allied to the wolf 'and fox, like the modern Creek dogs, 

 which I am afterwards to mention. 



It would appear from Clavigero, that the alco is now en- 

 tirely cxtinft. " After the conquell of Mexico," fays this 

 author, " the Spaniards, having neither large cattle nor fheep, 

 provided their markets with this quadruped ; by which means 

 the fpecies was foon extintt, although it had been very nu- 



nierousf." 



Itzcu'tntcpotzotlu 



The it^aiintepotzotli was the Mexican name for another 

 fpecies or variety of dog, which is figured and defcribed by 

 Fabril and by Ciavigcrn, whofe figure is borrowed from that 

 of the Italian natnralilL If the figure be an accurate one, 

 the animal mall have been of a very deformed afpeft ; and 

 as fuch, indeed, it is defcribed. It was about thefiijeofa 

 Midlefan dog, or rather larger. The head was very fmall, 

 the ears pendulous, and the eyes foft and pleafing. The nofe 

 had a confiderable prominence in the middle, and its tail was 

 very fmall. But ttie mo(t (triking feature of the animal was 

 a protuberance upon its back, not unlike that upon the Ara- 

 bian camel. The Ikin was varied with white, tawny, and 

 black. 



This fpecies particularly abounded in the kingdom of Mi- 



■ Tlie Decides of the Newc Worldc or Weft India, &c. The firft Je- 

 ■ .i.'e, |;. 15. Kngiifh tranlfit'.on. London 1555- 4to. 

 ^ I he Hiftory of Mexico, vol. i- p. 40. 

 ; Kciiim MedicHium Nova; Hifpaniae Thefaurus, &c. p. 466, &c. 



J5 2 chuacan^ 



