218 THE MASTIFFS. 



mountainous or a cold region is best suited to its 

 nature, and that the highest ranges of Central Asia, 

 and the island of Great Britain, are the most genial ; 

 yet in form, in the roundness of the ears, the thick 

 neck and short muzzle, the zone of the earth which 

 includes both these regions contains no similar wild 

 creature : we are therefore obliged to search for it in 

 Africa, and there we find the Lycaon, who alone 

 of all the canines possesses several of the most pro- 

 minent characteristics of the mastiff. In this spe- 

 cies are perceived ears which, though erect, have 

 rounded tips, a muzzle, jaws and dentition, not 

 unlike the mastiffs, a powerful neck, and in the 

 livery a combination of yellow and black marks 

 upon a white surface, which is still very similar in 

 the broad-mouthed dogs that retain their ancient 

 brindled coat; but the species is distinguished by 

 having only four toes on all the feet, and the legs 

 are high and slender, while in the mastiffs there is 

 very generally a fifth toe on the hind, and always 

 five on the fore feet, and the limbs are massive : 

 they are not therefore of the same origin, but we 

 think them nearly allied. The Lycaon is the Afri- 

 can form of an osculating congener of a northern 

 latitude, now absorbed in domesticity, or not yet 

 discovered in a wild state. Yet though in associa- 

 tion with man, contrary to all the other species resid- 

 ing in climates of so much severity, it still retains 

 the characters which assimilate with the African, 

 being possessed of a short but shaggy fur, and no- 

 where assuming that of the long and dense covering 

 which belongs to the wolf-like dogs. 



