DOG. 275 



Dog (adds this author) cannot breed together, 

 and produce an intermediate race : their disposi- 

 tions are opposite, and their constitutions differ- 

 ent : the Wolf also lives longer than the Dog ; the 

 former breeds but once a year, but the dog twice 

 or thrice. These distinctions are more than suf- 

 ficient to demonstrate the two animals to be of 

 very different kinds. Besides, on a closer inspec- 

 tion, we easily perceive that even externally the 

 Wolf differs from the dog by essential and uni- 

 form characters. The appearance of the head and 

 the form of the bones are by no means the same. 

 The cavity of the eye in the Wolf is placed ob- 

 liquely; the orbits are inclined; the eyes sparkle 

 and shine in the dark: instead of barking the 

 Wolf howls; his movements, though quick and 

 precipitate, are more uniform and equal: his body 

 is stronger, but not so flexible : his limbs are firmer, 

 his jaws and teeth larger, and his hair coarser 

 and thicker." All this, however, was said long 

 before the celebrated experiments had been made, 

 which have clearly proved that a hybrid offspring 

 may be obtained from the Dog and the Wolf, and 

 that the breed may be continued between the hy- 

 brids themselves, or with other Dogs. In his 

 supplemental volumes the Count de Buffon him- 

 self has amply detailed some experiments of this 

 kind, and has given engravings of the descend- 

 ants. But though the Wolf and the Dog may 

 thus breed together, and their progeny may also 

 prove fertile, yet this can hardly be allowed a 

 sufficient proof of a real identity of species. The 



