CANIS FAMILIARIS, 163 



One of the most interesting breeds, from its possible relation to 

 another species, is the Esquimaux Dog, which so closely resembles the 

 wolf that a pack of them were once mistaken for wolves even by so 

 experienced an Arctic traveller as Sir John Richardson. Our Plate 

 XXXVIII. represents a fine specimen of this breed living in the 

 Gardens of the Zoological Society?) 



The Domestic Dog attains sometimes a larger size than does any 

 wild species of the Canida, the largest of which is the Wolf. Through 

 the kindness of Dr. Sidney Turner, I have received the dimensions of 

 several very large Mount St. Bernard's Dogs. The largest of these, 

 known as " Young Plinlimmon," is an inmate of the kennels at Leeds 

 belonging to Mr. Sydney W. Smith, who gives the total length of the 

 animal, from " the tip of the nose to the set on of the tail," as 68^ 

 inches, or more than 1 73 centimeters. OtheFoTTTisdogs thus measure 

 60 and 64 inches. A St. Bernard, known as " Cadwallader," belong- 

 ing to Dr. Russell, measures 63 inches. But the Domestic Dog may 

 not only be thus larger than the wolf, it may also be much smaller 

 than any wild Canine species. One of the smallest of all breeds is the 

 Mexican Lap-dog with its soft curly hair. (A specimen of this breed we 

 have had represented (from one in the British Museum) in our Plate 

 XXXIX.} Though apparently adult, from the condition of its claws, 

 it measures no more than 18*0 centims. from the apex of the snout to 

 the root of the tail. This breed has most probably been formed from 

 dogs of European origin *. 



Everyone knows that Domestic Dogs of different breeds differ hardly 

 less in configuration than in size configuration of muzzle, ears, length, 

 quality, and even absence of hair, and length and form of tail. 



Amongst characters which have been found to differ in different 

 races is the extent of skin between the toes, which in Newfoundland 

 Dogs, and more or less in Otter-hounds, produces a sort of vvebbed- 

 footedness. 



The peculiarities of conformation obviously concern not only 

 external characters, but cranial and dental structures also. 



The skull of the Bull-dog is one singularly distorted through the 

 * Such is the opinion of .Fitzinger, as expressed in his ' Der Hund und seine Racen.' 



