749 



CANIS. 



CANIS. 



750 



It is indeed distinguished by this cranial development even above 

 the Spaniels and their varieties, and the Hounds, which comprise the 

 most useful and intelligent dogs. In the Bull-Dogs and Mastiffs, 

 Dogues de Forte Race of the French, though the head is one-third 

 larger than those of the Shepherd's Dog and of the Spaniels, ' Barbets,' 

 the cranial capacity is not by any means so great. 



Skull of Dojue do Forte Race. From F. Cuvicr. 



Skull of Clilen Matin. 



Dr. Caius, the physician of queen Elizabeth's time, wrote several 

 papers on natural history for the use of Gesner, his correspondent 

 and friend. In one of these treatises he divides the British dogs into 

 1st, The most generous kinds, which he subdivides into the Dogs 

 of Chace, including the Hounds, namely, the Terrier, Harrier, and 

 Bloodhound ; and the Gazehound, Grayhound, Leviner or Lyemmer, 

 and Tumbler : the Fowlers, namely, the Spaniel, Setter, Water- 

 Spaniel, or Finder : and the Lap-Dogs, namely, the Spaniel-Gentle, or 

 Comforter. 2nd, The Farm-Dogs, namely, the Shepherd's Dog and 

 the Mastiff, or Ban-Dog. 3rd, Mongrels, namely, Wappe, Turnspit, 

 and Dancer. 



Bewick enumerates the following : The Shepherd's Dog, the Cur- 

 Dog, the Greenland-Dog, the Ijnll-Dog, the Mastiff, the Ban-Dog, the 

 Iialtinitian or Coach-Dog, the Irish Greyhound, the Highland Grey- 

 hound, the Gazehound, the Greyhound, the Italian Greyhound, the 

 Lyemmer, the Lurcher, the Tumbler, the Terrier, the Beadle, the 

 Harrier, the Fox-Hound, the Old English Hound, the Kibble Hound, 



the Blood-Hound, the Spanish Pointer, the English Setter, the New- 

 foundland Dog, the Rough Water-Dog, the Large Water-Spaniel, the 

 Small Water-Spaniel, the Springer or Cocker, King Charles's Dog, the 

 Pyrame Dog, the Shock-Dog, the Lion-Dog (a small and rare variety), 

 the Comforter (a small Spaniel), the Turnspit, and the Pug. We 

 could add many more to this list, which is long enough. The French 

 divide the dogs into three groups, namely, the Matins, the Spaniels 

 (including the Hounds and Pointer), arid the Dogues (the last con- 

 taining the Mastiff, Bull-Dog, &c.). 



We give the gigantic Tibet Dog as a fine example of the Mastiffs. 

 Dr. Wallich gave to Mr. Broderip the data which enabled the latter 



The Tibet Dog (Omit /amiliarii, var. Ifolossiu ThiMama). 



to write the following account : " These noble animals are the watch- 

 dogs of the table-land of the Himalaya Mountains, about Tibet. 

 Their masters, the Bhoteas, to whom they are most strongly attached, 

 are a singular race, of a ruddy copper-colour, indicating the bracing 

 air which they breathe, rather short, but of an excellent dispostion. 

 Their clothing is adapted to the cold climate they inhabit, and 

 consists of fur and woollen cloth. The men till the ground and keep 

 sheep, and at certain seasons come down to trade, bringing borax, 

 tincal, and musk, for sale. They sometimes penetrate as far as 

 Calcutta. On these occasions the women remain at home with the 

 dogs, and the encampment is watched by the latter, which have an 

 almost irreconcileable aversion to Europeans, and in general fly fero- 

 ciously at a white face. A warmer climate relaxes all their energies, 

 and they dwindle even in the valley of Nepaul." Some specimens 

 were brought to this country by Dr. Wallich ; they were placed in 

 the Zoological Society's Garden in the Regent's Park, but died soon 

 after their arrival. The Hon. Edward Gardner, British resident at 

 the court of the Raja of Nepaul, never heard of any other instance 

 of this variety being domesticated by Europeans. 



In all the varieties the period of gestation is 63 days. The litter is 

 generally numerous, often as many as eight or nine. The whelps 

 are born blind, and do not see till nine days are fully expired : they 

 sometimes see on the tenth, and sometimes not till the twelfth day. 

 At the fourth month the teeth begin to change, and at two years the 

 growth of the animal is considered complete. A dog in considered 

 old at the expiration of five years, and the limits of his existence 

 rarely exceed 20 years. It is confidently stated that in all the varie- 

 ties, if a Dog has any white on any part of his tail, that colour will 

 invariably be found at the tip. 



For the special qualities of particular varieties of the Dog see the 

 articles BEA<;LE, BLOOD-HOUND, GHATUOUND, HAIUUEH, POISTKII, 

 Pco, SETTEH, SPANIEL, TEURIEU, WOLF-DOG. 



Wolves. 



C. Lupus (Linnojus), the Wolf. Lieutenant-Colonel Hamilton 

 Smith makes Lupus the first section of his first sub-genus Cliaon, of 

 the Diurnal Canidce, or Canine group furnished with a round pupil of 

 the eye. 



In this section he comprises the Common Wolf, f,ti/jus rulgarii; 

 the Black Wolf, L. Lycaon ; the Dusky Wolf, L. nubilus, Wied. ; and 

 the Wolf of the Southern States of North America, L. Mexicanus, 

 Smith. 



In the second section, Lycincus, or as he terms the group the 

 Lyciscan Dogs, he places the North American Wolf, L. latrana ; and 

 the Caygotte of Mexico, L. Cagottua, Smith. 



With regard to the American Wolves, Colonel Smith remarks that 

 whether they be distinct from those of the eastern hemisphere, or 

 primeval varieties, is not as yet satisfactorily established. The high 

 authority of Sir John Richardson he observes leans towards the 

 opinion that they are different species; while Prince Maximilian of 

 Wied, perhaps still more practically conversant with the races of both 



