K0ESE3 AND HOUKDS. 65 



dog genus, by the influence of climate and circumstances alone, 

 have arisen all the varieties of this species. Now as it is not, I 

 believe, denied by them, that there were originals of the various 

 species of what the learned are pleased to call the " cat kind," 

 ranking from the lion down to our domestic mouser, and as they 

 have scarcely gone the lengths, or have taken such liberties 

 with this latter class, as they have with our friend tlie dog, as to 

 assert that, by the influence of climate a cat might be converted 

 into a lion, or a lion into a cat, it is by no means unreasonable 

 to suppose, that there might have been originally created a 

 species or two of the dog kind (not one only), although not exactly 

 alike in outward appearance, yet the same in inward structure. 

 It is much more in conformity with the wisdom and care of the 

 Almighty Creator, who, in the Garden of Eden, manifested such 

 condescending goodness towards our first parents, making all 

 things created obedient to their will, or subservient to their use, 

 to suppose that there would be produced different animals of the 

 dog kind, destined hereafter to form such valuable assistants to 

 mankind, in various ways, than that there should be more than 

 one species of animal destined to be his destroyer, such as the 

 lion, tiger, and leopard. What the first varieties were, it is im- 

 possible to determine, but I think few will be inclined to 

 dispute the rationality of the opinion I have ventured to 

 express on this head, even although opposed to such weighty 

 authorities. 



It is highly probable, however, that the greyhound, or gaze- 

 hound, both from its beauty of form, and its adaptation to the 

 wants and assistance of man, in his primitive state, would form 

 one, and had there been only one specimen of this race at first 

 created, upon this dog would I pin my faith, as the originator of 

 the different species, in preference to the shepherd's dog. A 

 dog resembling the Irish greyhound or Scotch deer-hound, 

 would prove the most useful of all dogs (where weapons of 

 destruction were as yet unknown) from his speed, being able to 

 overtake, and by his power to master all kinds of game used as 

 food. Still there is more reason to suppose that there were 

 other original varieties, such as the hound, mastiff, and spaniel, 

 and that these metamorpljoses have been produced from one 

 animal, by change of country and influence of climate and food 

 only. ' Having now dived sufficiently deep into the natural 

 history of the dog, which probably may not be wholly uninter- 

 esting to my readers and the real lovers of the canine race, I 

 purpose now to proceed and treat on the hunting and manage- 

 ment of hounds. 



F 



