127 



CHAPTER VIII. 

 THE DOG FAMILY. DOGS OF SAVAGES DOGS OF CIVILISED NATIONS -WILD DOGS. 



THE HARE INDIAN DOG Its Characters, Disposition, &c. THE ESKIMO DOG The Dependence of the Greenlanders on its 

 Existence The Probability of its Speedy Extinction Its Characters and Savage Disposition Its Uses DOMESTIC 

 DOGS OF OTHER SAVAGE TRIBES African Breeds South American Breeds THE DALMATIAN DOG THE GREY- 

 HOUNDTHE SCOTCH GREYHOUND THE DEERHOUND THE TURKISH GREYHOUND THE GRECIAN GREYHOUND 

 THE PERSIAN GREYHOUND THE ITALIAN GREYHOUND THE COCKER THE SPRINGER THE KING CHARLES'S 

 SPANIEL THE BLENHEIM SPANIEL THE CHINESE PUG-DOG THE WATER-SPANIEL THE POODLE THE MALTESE 

 DOG THE LION-DOG THE TURKISH DOG THE ST. BERNARD DOG THE NEWFOUNDLAND DOG THE SHEEP-DOG 

 THE POMERANIAN DOG THE CUR THE LURCHER THE BEAGLE THE HARRIER THE FOXHOUND THE STAG- 

 HOUND THE BLOODHOUND THE SETTER THE POINTER THE RETRIEVER THE OTTER-HOUND THE TURNSPIT 

 THE DACHSHOUND THE BULL-DOG THE BULL-TERRIER THE MASTIFF THE CUBAN MASTIFF THE TIBET 

 DOG THE ENGLISH TERRIER THE SCOTCH TERRIER PARIAH DOGS THE INDIAN WILD DOG THE DINGO. 



NOT only has civilised man his endless breeds of Dogs, but nearly every savage tribe of any 

 degree of intelligence has, to a greater or less degree, succeeded in producing a race exhibiting well- 

 marked characters, useful to them as a guardian of flocks or a beast of burden. Then, in many 

 parts of the world there are to be found troops of Dogs which have become wild, though not sufficiently 

 so to be actually dangerous, and which act as scavengers in those countries which, like Turkey, are 

 not blessed with a particularly stringent code of sanitary regulations. We shall first consider the 

 Dogs kept by savages. 



THE HARE INDIAN DOG. 



This interesting variety (see figure on p. 104) is found only in North America, in the region of the 

 Great Bear Lake and the Mackenzie River, where it is kept as a Hunting-dog by the Hare Indians 

 and one or two other tribes. As we mentioned above, it deserves great interest from the fact that it 

 closely resembles the Prairie-wolf, from which it is very probably descended. 



" The Hare Indian Dog has a mild countenance, with, at times, an expression of demureness. 

 It has a small head, slender muzzle, erect thickish ears, somewhat oblique eyes, rather slender legs, 

 and a broad, hairy foot, with a bushy tail, which it usually carries curled over its right hip. 

 It is covered with long hair, particularly about the shoulders; and at the roots of the hair, both on the 

 body and tail, there is a thick wool. The hair on the top of the head is long, and on the posterior part 

 of the cheek it is not only long, but being also directed backwards, it gives the animal, when the fur 

 is in prime order, the appearance of having a ruff round the neck. Its face, muzzle, belly, and legs are 

 of a pure white colour, and there is a white central line passing over the crown of the head and the 

 occiput. The anterior surface of the ear is white, the posterior yellowish-grey, or fawn-colour. The 

 end of the nose, the eyelashes, the roof of the mouth, and part of the gums, are black. There is a dark 

 patch over the eye. On the back and sides there are larger patches of dark blackish-grey, or lead- 

 colour, mixed with fawn-colour and white, not definite in form, but running into each other. The tail 

 is bushy, white beneath and at the tip. The feet are covered with hairs, which almost conceal 

 the claws. Some long hairs between the toes project over the soles ; but there are naked callous 

 protuberances at the root of the toes and on the soles, even in the winter time, as in all the "Wolves 

 described in the preceding pages. The American Foxes, on the contrary, have the whole of their soles 

 densely covered with hair in the winter. Its ears are proportionably nearer each other than those of 

 the Eskimo Dog. 



" The Hare Indian Dog is very playful, has an affectionate disposition, and is soon gained by 

 kindness. It is not, however, very docile, and dislikes confinement of every kind. It is very fond of 

 being caressed, rubs its back against the hand like a Cat, and soon makes an acquaintance with a 

 stranger. Like a wild animal, it is very mindful of an injury, nor does it, like a Spaniel, crouch under 

 the lash ; but if it is conscious of having deserved punishment, it will hover round the tent of its 

 master the whole day, without coming within his reach even when he calls it. Its howl, when hurt 

 or afraid, is that of the Wolf; but when it sees any unusual object, it makes a singular attempt at 

 barking, commencing by a kind of growl, which is not, however, unpleasant, and ending in a prolonged 

 howl. Its voice is very much like that of the Prairie-wolf. The larger Dogs, which we had for draught 

 at Fort Franklin, and which were of fche mongrel breed in common use at the fur-posts, used to pursue 



