296 



DOG. 



clothed with remarkably thick fur when carried to 

 cold climates. This change, not in the same species 

 merely, but in the same individual animal, is so re- 

 markable that some of the dogs which were carried 

 out by our voyagers and travellers to the polar regions 

 of North America, and wintered in the extreme cold 

 there, acquired a fur of so remarkable a thickness that 

 while they crouched by the winter fires their fur was 

 burnt in holes half way down to the skin without 

 their being at all sensible of the heat. 



The character of the genus are, that they are digi- 

 tigrade in their walking, or walk upon their toes, the 

 claws of which are not retractile, or used in any way 

 as prehensile instruments in the capture of their prey, 

 which in these animals is uniformly captured by 

 speed, and following either by sight or on the scent, 

 the strength of the prey determining whether it shall 

 be hunted singly or by a combined pack. The teeth 

 are, six incisors in each jaw, and one strong canine in 

 each side of each, with six teeth above in each jaw, 

 and seven in each below. The first three behind the 

 canines in the upper jaw, and the first four in the 

 lower, have trenchant or cutting edges, adapted for 

 bruising flesh; the great carnivorous teeth which 

 follow these have two points in the upper jaw, with a 

 small tubercle on the inner side. The two last teeth in 

 each side of both jaws are also tuberculated at their 

 summits. In those varieties which are found in a 

 state of nature the muzzle is generally elongated, and 

 the gape wide, the effect of the jaws in killing the 

 prey being that of a snap, in which the rapid motion 

 of the jaw gives effect to the weight ; and these spe- 

 cies or varieties (for it is exceedingly difficult in this 

 species of animals to say what is a species and what 

 a variety) the ears are generally erect ; but in the 

 domesticated ones the varieties are so numerous that 

 it is hardly possible to give any description of them. 



No specific form or character of covering can be 

 taken as generally characteristic of dogs ; for though 

 their characters are always expressive of the family, 

 as distinguished from every other race of animals, 

 they differ so much from each other, in size, in shape, 

 in the character of their covering, and are so in their 

 propensities, that they have absolutely nothing of 

 external character which will apply to the whole race. 

 The length of their jaws and muzzle, and the shapes 

 of their ears, are exceedingly variable ; but the tongue 

 is always smooth, and instead of lacerating, like that 

 of the cat family, its application to wounded or dis- 

 eased parts has rather a healing tendency ; they have 

 live toes on the fore-feet, and generally four on the 

 hind ones, though in some of the varieties there is a 

 partial development of the fifth one. The females 

 go sixty-three days, and the litter consists usually of 

 three, four, or five, though sometimes of as many as 

 ten or a dozen ; the puppies are always produced with 

 the eyes closed, and do not open them for ten or 

 twelve days after. They live on the average about 

 fourteen or fifteen years, but there are great differ- 

 ences arising from climate, breed, and other circum- 

 stances. 



If we take the domesticated races, and it is doubt- 

 ful whether there are any dogs which have not been 

 partially domesticated, though some have unquestion- 

 ably degenerated, there are no animals which show 

 BO much attachment to man ; and the anecdotes 

 which are recorded of the fidelity of dogs would fill 

 many volumes. Perhaps justice is not more effectually 

 done to their characters in a general, and we may say 

 unphilosophical view, than in the following passage 



which we quote from Mr. BurclielTs Travels in 

 Africa : " Our pack of dogs," says Mr. Burchell, 

 " consisted of about five and twenty of various sorts 

 and sizes. This variety, though not altogether inten- 

 tional, as I was obliged to take any that could be 

 procured, was of the greatest service in such an expe- 

 dition, as I observed that some gave notice of danger 

 in one way, and others in another. Some were more 

 disposed to watch against men, and others against 

 wild beasts ; some discovered an enemy by their 

 quickness of hearing, others by that of scent ; some 

 for speed in pursuing game 3 some were useful only 

 for their vigilance and barking ; and others for their 

 courage in holding ferocious animals at bay. So 

 large a pack was not indeed maintained without add- 

 ing greatly to our care and trouble, in supplying them 

 with meat and water, for it was sometimes difficult to 

 procure for them enough of the latter ; but their ser- 

 vices were invaluable, often contributing to our safety, 

 nnd always to our ease, by their constant vigilance, 

 as we felt a confidence that no danger could approach 

 us at night without being announced by their barking. 

 No circumstances could render the value and fidelity 

 of these animals so conspicuous and sensible as a 

 journey through regions which, abounding in wild 

 beasts of almost every class, gave continual opportu- 

 ties of witnessing the strong contrast in their habits, 

 between the ferocious beasts of prey, which fly at the 

 approach of man, and these kind but too often injured 

 companions of the human race. Many times, when 

 we have been travelling over plains where those have 

 fled the moment we appeared in sight, have I turned 

 my eyes towards my dogs to admire their attachment, 

 and have felt a grateful affection toward them for pre- 

 ferring our society to the liberty of other quadrupeds. 

 Often, in the middle of the night, when all my people 

 have been fast asleep around the fire, have I stood 

 to contemplate these faithful animals lying by their 

 side, and have learnt to esteem them for their social 

 esteem to mankind. When wandering over pathless 

 deserts, oppressed with vexation and distress at the 

 conduct of my own men, I have turned to these as 

 my only friends, and felt how much inferior to them 

 was man when actuated only by selfish views. 



" The familiarity which subsists between this ani- 

 mal and our own race is so common to almost every 

 country of the globe, that any remark upon it must 

 seem superfluous ; but I cannot avoid believing that 

 it is the universality of the fact which prevents the 

 greater part of mankind from reflecting duly on the 

 subject. While almost every other quadruped fears 

 man as its most formidable enemy, here is one which 

 regards him as his companion, and follows him as his 

 friend. We must not mistake the nature of the case : 

 it is not because we train him to our use, and have 

 made choice of him in preference to other animals, 

 but because this particular species feels a natural 

 desire to be useful to man, and from spontaneous 

 impulse attaches itself to him. Were it not so, we 

 should see in various countries an equal familiarity 

 with various other quadrupeds, according to the 

 habits, the taste, or the caprice of different nations. 

 But everywhere it is the dog only takes delight in 

 associating with us, in sharing our abode, and is even 

 jealous that our attention should be bestowed on him 

 alone ; it is he who knows us personally, watches for 

 us, and warns us of danger. It is impossible for the 

 naturalist, when taking a survey of the whole animal 

 creation, not to feel a conviction that this friendship 

 between two creatures so different from each other 



