153 



THE DINGO. 



CANIS DINGO. 



Cants familiaris Dingo, Blumenbach, Handbuch der Naturgeschichte, 

 p. 303 (1780); id. ibid. p. 85, i (1830) ; J. A. Wagner, 

 Suppl. to Schreber's Saugth., Abth. ii. p. 374 (1840) ; 

 Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1868, p. 509 j id. Cat. of Carni- 

 vorous Mammalia, p. 195 ; Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1871, 

 p. 629. 



Canis Dingo, Gould, Mammals of Australia, vol. iii. plates 51 & 52 

 (1863). 



Canis Dingo Australasia, Desmarest, Mammalogie, p. 191 (1820) ; E. T. 

 Bennett, Gardens and Menagerie, p. 51 (1830) ; George 

 Bennett, Wanderings in New S. Wales, vol. i. p. 231 (1834) . 



Chryseus Australia, Hamilton Smith, Jardine's Nat. Library, vol. ix. 

 p. 188, pi. 10. 



Dingo, Shaw, General Zoology, vol. i. p. 277 (1800). 



Chien de la Nouvelle Hollande, F. Cuvier, Mammiferes, vol. ii. (1824). 



WE have now to consider the true dog, the question as to the origin of 

 which has excited such great and continued interest. Has our dog 

 sprung from one source, or from several wild species, and does any 

 wild animal exist which can be supposed to be more nearly related to 

 the domestic dog than are any of the species of Canidce which we have 

 already passed in review ? 



So far as we have been able to ascertain, there is no animal which 

 has any even apparently valid claim to be regarded as truly wild, and at 

 the same time a true and perfect dog, save the Dingo of Australia. It 

 is for this reason we propose to treat of it before saying the little which 

 it comes within the scope of this work to say concerning the various 

 breeds and races of the domestic dog. 



Our Plate, which is taken from a specimen living in the Gardens of 



x 



