18 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE DOCK 



Mr. Bell concludes his observations as follows : : " Upon 

 the whole, the argument in favor of the view which I have 

 taken, that the wolf is probably the original of all the canine 

 races, may be thus stated. The structure of the animal is 

 identical, or so nearly as to afford the strongest a priori evi- 

 dence in its favor. The dog must have been derived from an 

 animal susceptible of the highest degree of domestication, and 

 capable of great affection for mankind, which has been abun- 

 dantly proved of the wolf. Dogs having returned to a wild 

 state, and continued in that condition through many genera- 

 tions, exhibit characters which approximate more and more 

 to those of the wolf, in proportion as tne influence of civiliza- 

 tion ceases to act. The two animals will breed together, and 

 produce fertile young. The period of gestation is the same." 



To this brief and intelligible summary of the points on 

 which Mr. Bell bases his opinion, I reply in few words : 



I. The expression nearly identical is too vague for phi- 

 losophical discussion, and I consider that I need not therefore 

 reply to this first position at all. To avoid misconstruction, 

 however, I shall assume that Mr. Bell positively asserts identi- 

 ty of structure. I positively deny it. The intestines of the 

 wolf are considerably shorter than those of the dog, evidently 

 marking him as an animal of more strictly carnivorous habits. 

 The orbits are placed higher and more forward in the skull. 

 The proportion between the bones of the hind legs differs so 

 does the number of toes. The structure of the teeth is differ- 

 ent, these being in the wolf much larger, and the molar teeth 

 of the upper and under jaws being adapted to each other, in 

 the wolf, in a peculiar scissors-like manner, rendering them 

 infinitely more serviceable for breaking bodies a structure 

 not found in the dog. 



II. I deny that the wolf is " susceptiA of the highest 

 degree of domestication, and capable of g*j&|t affection for 

 mankind, which has been abundantly aBved." When 

 has it been proved ? I have seen many 1jp-called " tame 

 wolves," but never one that might be trusted, or that did not, 

 when opportunity offered, return to his fierce nature and wild 

 habits. The whelps, too, produced by these partially domes- 

 ticated wolves, are not in the smallest degree influenced by the 

 domestication of their parents. The Royal Zoological Society 

 of Ireland had, some years ago, in their garutns, Phoenix 

 Park, a pair of very tame wolves. These produced young, 

 which became tame likewise, and in their turn produced cubs. 

 The society very kindly presented me with one of the last 



