30 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE TOG. 



decortication : at the commencement of the skinning process 

 upon the face, the only perceptible movement was a slight 

 quivering of the lips, which was regarded, at the time, as 

 merely muscular irritability. The man, after skinning a 

 very small portion, left the hut to sharpen his knife, and re- 

 turning found the animal sitting up, with the flayed integu- 

 ment hanging over on one side of the face." 



Another traveller* relates anecdotes illustrative of the 

 tenacity of life exhibited by this animal ; but the details are 

 so revolting that I refrain from quoting them. 



Frequent experiments have been instituted, with a view to 

 procure a hybrid race between the Dingo and the common 

 dog, but without success. Mr. Cunningham notices a hybrid 

 race of this description, as established in New Holland ; but 

 as he has given no specific description, I am dispo^ 

 question the accuracy of his report. Even, how< 

 Mr. Cunningham's suppositions really confirmed, the fact of 

 the Dingo and domestic dog breeding together would not 

 militate in any degree against the truth of my positions as I 

 have no hesitation in admitting that groups of animals may l>c, 

 though specifically distinct, yet so nearly allied, as to intermix 

 and even produce reproductive offspring. The question as to 

 fertility existing in the offspring of such unions inter *c, must, 

 of necessity, be satisfactorily settled ere identity can b<- 

 suggested. He may have been imposed upon by the nat 

 or may have confounded with such a supposed mongrel race 

 a breed of Dingos of a black and tan color, which ;i 

 more easily tamed than the common variety. Of th- s- tln-n* 

 was a fine pair, about six years ago, in the gardens of the 

 Irish Zoological Society, and they were remarkably gentle. 



In New Zealand there has been found an apparently feral 

 dog, called by the natives ' KARARAH," respecting which a 

 tradition exists that he was given to them some centuri. 

 by certain divinities who visited their shores. In aspect, this 

 log very closely resembles the Dingo, but he appears to have 

 been partially domesticated. 



THE DHOLE. f 



The Dhole is a native of India, over which peninsula it ex- 

 tends in great numbers, and bears different names in different 



* Clarke. 



tThe Dhole a agreeably described in - Williamson's Oriental Field 

 Sports." 



