Chap. I. DOMESTIC VARIETIES. 31 



most ancient times, on tlie monuments of Egypt, and in tlie 

 lake-habitations of Switzerland, much diversity in the breeds ; 

 and that some of these ancient breeds closely resemble or are 

 even identical with those still existing-. But this only throws 

 far backward the history of civilization, and shows that ani- 

 mals Avere domesticated at a much earlier period than has hith- 

 erto l>een supposed. The lake-inhabitants of Switzerland cul- 

 tivated several kinds of wheat and barley, the pea, the poppy 

 t\)v oil, and llax ; and they possessed several domesticatcnl ani- 

 mals ; they had also commerce with other nations. All this 

 clearly shows, as Heer has remarked, that they had at this 

 early ag-c progressed considerably in civilization ; and this 

 again implies a long-continued previous period of less advanced 

 civilization, during which the domesticated animals, kept by 

 the different tribes in different districts, might have varied and 

 given rise to distinct races. Since the discovery of flint tools 

 or celts in the superficial formations in many parts of the world, 

 all geologists believe that barbax-ian man existed at an enor- 

 mously remote period ; and we know that at the present day 

 there is hardly a tribe so barbarous as not to have domesti- 

 cated at least the dog. 



The origin of most of our domestic animals will probably 

 forever remain vague. But I may here state that, looking 

 to the domestic dogs of the Avholc world, I have, after a la- 

 borious collection of all known facts, come to the conclusion 

 that several wild species of Canidre have been tamed, and that 

 their blood, in some cases mingled together, llows in the A-eins 

 of our domestic breeds. In regard to sheep and goats, I can 

 form no decided opinion. From facts communicated to me by 

 Mr. Blyth, on the habits, voice, constitution, and structure of 

 the humped Indian cattle, it is almost certain that they are de- 

 scended from a different aboriginal stock from our European 

 cattle ; and some competent judges believe that these latter 

 have had two or three wild progenitors — whether or not those 

 deserve to be called species or races. This conclusion, as Avell 

 as the specific distinction between the humped and common 

 cattle, may, indeed, be looked at as established by the recent 

 admirable researches of Prof. Kutimeyer. With respect to 

 horses, from reasons which I cannot here give, I am doubtfully 

 inclined to believe, in opposition to several authors, that all the 

 races belong to the saine species. Having kept nearly all the 

 English breeds of the fowl alive, having bred and crossed them, 

 and examined their skeletons, it appears to me almost certain 



