Native American, or Indian Dogs. 13 



the wolf merely altered by the domesticated state, 

 and the other more allied to the fox. But as my in- 

 formation concerning the northern dog is more cor- 

 rect and particular than it is concerning the southern, 

 I wish to be understood as speaking principally of 

 the former, in the following description of the Indian 

 dogs. 



The Indian dog (I mean that which is most allied 

 to the wolf) is frequently called, by the traders and 

 others, " the half- wolf- breed." His general aspect 

 is much more that of the wolf than of the common 

 domesticated dogs. His body, in general, is more 

 slender than that of our dogs. He is remarkably 

 small behind. His ears do not hang like those of our 

 dogs, but stand erect, and are large and sharp-pointed. 

 He has a long, small snout, and very sharp nose*. 

 His barking is more like the howling of the wolf. 

 When attacked, and when fighting, he does not shake 

 his antagonist, like our dogs. His teeth are very 

 sharp, and his bite sure. When he snarls, which he 

 is wont to do upon the slightest occasion, he draws 

 the skin from his mouth back, presenting all his teeth 

 to view. Our dogs, when once attacked by these 

 Indian dogs, always fear and shun them. It is a very 

 curious circumstance, that the Indian dog will never 

 attack or pursue the wolf, which the common dogs 

 so readily do. This fact seems to point very strongly 

 to the origin of the American animal. For the pur- 



* Some persons inform me, that many of the Indian dogs have 

 a large white spot upon tin: breast. 



