DOGS. 87 



It is not a little astonishing that the natural his- 

 tory of so important an animal as the dog should 

 be involved in so much obscurity. Some natural- 

 ists suppose that he is a distinct species ; others 

 consider him as a derivative from the jackall, the 

 hyena, the wolf, fox, and their commixtures ; and 

 I have no iiesitation in saying that I am. inclined 

 to the latter opinion. The most astonishing fact 

 in zoology is, that the offspring of distinct ani- 

 mals, having different periods of gestation will be 

 fruitful. 



The canis familiaris, or domestic dog, is gravid 

 from 60 to 63 days. The wolf 100 according to 

 Shaw, and 70 according to others. The jackal 

 30 days, and the arctic fox 63; aud yet there is 

 no doubt but that the hybrid of the wolf and dog 

 will produce offspring. 



In like manner the gyall or bos fontalis of the 

 East Indies, is gravid eleven months, and the do- 

 mestic ox and American bison or buffalo, nine 

 months ; and yet they will have a fruitful race. 



Buffon placed the wolf and female dog together, 

 and also the fox, and yet they had no connexion. 

 The experiment however was not a fair one. 

 Wild animals, particularly the wolf and fox, when 

 caught lose their activity and spirits, and pine 

 away. Linnaeus enumerates 11, and Buffon 30 

 fixed varieties of dogs, and some of them are as 



