121 THE CANINE FAMILY 



and France, hydrophobia attacks wolves and foxes 

 as well as the dogs ; both the first mentioned are 

 then without the fear of man, but run on in rabid 

 ferocity, biting all living beings they can reach. In 

 this condition mad foxes have been killed, in the 

 middle of people assembled at market. 



The dogs of South America are not afflicted by- 

 hydrophobia, but they suffer from an eruptive dis- 

 ease that has been compared to the human small- 

 pox, and is very destructive, but never attacks the 

 animal a second time. The disease is attended 

 with convulsions; the beast in delirium bites at 

 random and mechanically ; drops saliva mixed with 

 blood, and the distemper is so extensively fatal, that 

 in Peru it is considered as a plague. 



In a wild state the greater number reside in dense 

 forests, but it would seem that those destined to 

 become the companions of man are not so exclu- 

 sively the tenants of the woods. The wild Canis 

 latrans and C, anthiia are examples of this fact, and 

 the typical race whence greyhounds have sprung 

 appears to owe its origin to the northern plains of 

 Eastern Persia. Even the black wolf and the der- 

 boun, are more tenants of mountain ranges than of 

 forests. The large wild species of Europe do not 

 burrow, though in India and America they still 

 reside in retreats under ground. It is probable 

 natural sagacity has taught them that there is no 

 longer sufficient safety in burrows amidst the dense 

 population of the Christian states ; and numerous 

 local names still remaining attest, at least, that they 



