ESQUIMAUX D0Q3.] FOR MOUNTAIN. FIELD. AND FA RM. [EaQiriscA.rx doos. 



clouded and blotched with black nnd a little ' nhould conunit an irrppnr.iblf injurv upon theae 

 white. The tail is somewhat bushy, and of poor people by destroying their lailhlul and 

 iiioderato length. Tlie colour is subji'ct to 

 variation. 



Wild, fleet and savage, this species hunts in 



powerful allies. 



In botii tho Esquimaux dog and grey wolf, 

 the liir is deep and tiiick ; both have the sanio 

 packs mostly diMii!.iJ: the niglit, but I'requeutly ' erect ears, the same bn-adth of skull between 



in the day; and so ileet is it that few animals 

 can out-distance its speed. It often commits 

 extensive ravages on the Hocks and herds of 

 the farmer, though it seldom attacks horned 

 cattle openly, but steals on them while asleep, 

 and bites oft' their tails, even at the root, with 

 one snap — a feat which the wide gape and vast 

 power of its jaws enables it to do with ease. 

 Mr. Burchell, on his return from Africa, 

 brought a living individual to England, which 

 retained during life all its native ferocity. 



It is the general opinion of naturalists, that 

 this species is an intermediate link in the 

 chain of the carnivora, uniting the canine 

 group to the hyjenas. Indeed, in some points 

 of general aspect, and in the number of the 

 toes, the ai)proiimation of this dog to the 

 latter animals is so marked, that Mr. Burchell 

 regarded it as a hyaena ; and, as such, Temminck 

 described it, under the title of Tiyatna picta, 

 though he afterwards assigned it to the genus 

 canis. The name of hyajua-dog has also been 

 conferred upon it. 



In size, the Cape bunting-dog (JVilde Son- 

 den of the Dutch colonists) is as large as a 

 pointer or hound, but higher on the limbs in 

 proportion to the bulk of the body. AVe 

 are not aware that any serious attempts have 

 been made to domesticate it. 



ESQUIMAUX DOGS. 



Dogs whicli. in their aspect and physiognomy, 

 retain a marked air of wildness, as indicated 

 by the sharpness of the muzzle, the erect or 

 semi-erect position of tlie ears, and the oblique 

 direction of the eye — giving an air of cunning 

 and distrust to the countenance — are found 

 in the Esquimaux race. In general aspect, 

 this dog — Canis fumiliaris, var. boreal is — so 

 closely resembles the wolf of its native regions, 

 that, when seen at a little distance, it is no! 

 easy to distinguish between them ; so much so, 

 indeed, is this the case, that Sir Edward Pai-ry's 

 party, during their second voyage, forbore to 

 fire upon a pack of thirteen wolves, which had 

 closely followed some Esquimaux, lest they 



them, and the same, or nearly the same, sharp- 

 ness of muzzle. In addition, we may state 

 that, in its native wilds at least, tlie voice of this 

 dog is not a b;uk, but a long melancholy howl. 

 In the dog, however, the tail is more bushy 

 than in the wolf, and is carried in a graceful 

 curve over the back ; while in the wolf it hangs 

 down between tlie legs. It is further to be 

 remarked, that the antipathy of the Esquimaux 

 dog to the wolf is inveterate. He not only 

 regards the wolf as an enemy, but fears it; and 

 though he will attack the bear with undaunted 

 energy, he never, unless impelled by necessity, 

 ventures to assault the wolf. Often, indeed, 

 he falls a sacrifice to this beast of prey, and is 

 carried off even in sight of his owners. 



To the Esquimaux their dogs are of the 

 greatest importance. It is to them that they 

 look for assistance in the chase of the seal, the 

 bear, and the reindeer; for carrying burdens, 

 and for drawing them on sledges over the 

 trackless snow of their dreary plains. In 

 summer, a single dog carries a weight of thirty 

 pounds in attending his master in the pursuit 

 of game ; and in winter, six or seven dogs, yoked 

 to a heavy sledge, with five or six persons, or 

 a load of eight or ten hundredweight, will per- 

 form a journey of forty or fifty miles a day. 

 On good roads they will travel this distance at 

 the rate of eight miles an iiour for several 

 hours together; but on untrodden snow, 

 twenty-five or thirty miles would be a fair 

 day's journey. The same number of dogs, well 

 fed, with a weight of only five or six hundred 

 pounds, that of the sledge included, are almost 

 uninanagable, and, on a smooth road, will go at 

 the rate of ten miles an hour. While thus 

 travelling, should they scent; a reindeer, even 

 a quarter of a mile distant, they gallop off" 

 furiously in the direction of the scent, and soon 

 bring the game within reach of the arrow of 

 the hunter. So acate, indeed, is their sense ot 

 smell, that they will discover a seal-hole by it 

 entirely, at a very great distance. 



The average height of the Esquimaux dog is 

 one foot ten inches ; generally the colour is 



395 



