PART THE FIRST. 



THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE DOG. 



The importance of the dog in the scale of animated nature 

 admits of no dispute, but, on the contrary, is forced on our con- 

 viction by many striking proofs ; among which the wide range 

 of his geographical distribution, which exceeds that of almost any 

 other scion of the zoological tree, stands prominent. Again, his 

 teachable character renders him not only interesting, but highly 

 useful also ; indeed so much so, that we can hardly persuade our- 

 selves that any country is fully blessed with Nature's gifts which 

 does not possess the dog ; and certainly none can deserve the 

 title of civilized, which, owning him, has not engaged him in a 

 close domestication : on the contrary, we have reason to believe 

 that it was one of the earliest efforts of associated man, to secure 

 to himself and fellow men the friendship and services of an animal 

 whose manners, in his wild state even, must have exhibited phy- 

 sical and intellectual powers which, in an eminent degree, qualified 

 him, when reclaimed, to become a watchful and effective guard 

 against the more predatory and ferocious brutes around ; a power- 

 ful assistant and ally in that further conquest which he (man) 



