474 THE BOOK OF THE DOG. 



With reference to the present state of the breed we are happy to be in a position to 

 give our readers the views of Mr. Walter K. Taunton, of London, to whom we have already 

 referred as a leading authority on foreign dogs, and whose unique collection of illustrious 

 canine strangers has, we feel convinced, never been equalled by any in this country. Mr. 

 Taunton writes as follows : 



" Of the various breeds of dogs inhabiting the North, the Esquimaux dog is the one 

 best known to us, although, unfortunately, from the great difficulty in obtaining specimens of 

 the breed, they are not often to be seen in this country. When, however, one does appear 

 at an exhibition of dogs, it generally proves a centre of attraction to visitors, who seem fully 

 to appreciate the opportunity of inspecting an animal of which they have frequently read, but 

 rarely have the chance of seeing. 



" There is probably no dog of such inestimable value to its owner as the Esquimaux 

 is to the inhabitants of the Arctic regions. It would not be saying too much to say that 

 without these dogs existence in these dreary parts would be impossible. Without them 

 travelling would be altogether impracticable, whereas by their aid their owners are enabled 

 to make journeys of many hundred miles. Several of these dogs are yoked to a sledge 

 formed of boards lashed together with thongs made of deer-skin. A team of four dogs will 

 draw, on a good track, a load of 300 or 400 Ibs. a distance of thirty to thirty-five miles a 

 day. Much depends upon the leader of the team to keep his unruly confreres in the proper 

 track, the best-trained dog of the pack being always selected for this post. The hardships 

 these animals have to undergo, and their power of endurance, is something marvellous. They 

 are frequently treated most cruelly by their hard taskmasters, obedience being enforced by 

 kicks and blows rather than by any attempt to attain the same end by kindness. The theory 

 that the dog is a descendant of the wolf certainly seems to receive confirmation when we 

 come to look at the dog of the Esquimaux breed and the wolf inhabiting the same part of 

 the globe. 



" It is a perfectly well-known fact that the wolf and the dog will breed freely together ; 

 and I have the authority of Mr. Bartlett, of the Zoological Gardens, for saying that the 

 offspring of these animals will continue to breed a fact which I have seen doubted by some 

 writers. In the Esquimaux dog we have the exact type of head of the wolf; the pointed 

 muzzle, the small erect rounded ear carried pointed forward, the treacherous expression of the 

 eye, and the length of body, all tend to convey the idea that the Esquimaux dogs are little 

 better than the breed of the wolf, domesticated and made subservient to man's requirements. 



" By travellers these two animals have frequently been mistaken for one another, which 

 can very readily be understood by any one who has had the opportunity of comparing the 

 best specimens of the Esquimaux brought to this country with the Arctic wolf lately among 

 the valuable collection of animals belonging to the Zoological Society of London, but which 

 is now unfortunately dead. 



" The coat of this dog is perhaps the most striking characteristic of the breed : this 

 consists of an outer coat which has the peculiarity of standing out erect, and is hard and 

 stiff like bristles, and an under-coat, which is a beautiful soft fur. The puppies when whelped 

 are perfectly smooth, with a glossy shiny coat like a black-and-tan terrier. The fore-legs, 

 perfectly straight and without feather. Chest deep, rather than wide. The tail is a dense 

 brush carried curled over the back, and in this respect, as well as size, the dog differs from 

 the wolf, the latter being much the larger animal of the two, and not carrying :he tail over 



