NATURAL HISTORY OF THE DOG. 31 



parts. It was originally described by Mr. Hodgson as the 

 Buansu, and by him given the title of Canis PrimcEVus,* as, in 

 his opinion, it was the origin of the domestic dog, (Zool. Pro- 

 ceed., 1833 ;) and in the same volume of proceedings we read 

 a communication addressed to the secretary, and describing a 

 wild dog by the name of dhole, as found in the Presidency of 

 Bombay. The locality of Mr. Hodgson's dog was Nepal, the 

 eastern and western limits of its range being the Sutlctj and 

 Burhampootra. 



In 1831, Colonel Sykes described a wild dog from the Mah- 

 rattas, which he calls the wild dog of the Deccan. Colonel 

 9 subsequently compared specimens of his wild dog with 

 that deseribi-d by Mr, Hodgson, and found them to correspond 

 in the most minute particulars, even to the circumstance of 

 wanting the hinder tubercular toothf of the lower jaw, and 

 varying only in quantity and quality of coat a variation 

 depending clearly on individual peculiarity and on climate. 



The Dhole, Buansu, or Kolsun for these names are synony- 

 mous is about the. size of a small wolf, but is much more 

 powerfully built, its limbs, in particular, being remarkably 

 large-boned, and muscular, in proportion to its size ; its ears 

 are large, and rounded at the tips ; the muzzle is moderately 

 pointed, somewhat like that of the greyhound ; the tail very 

 bushy ; its color is a sandy red, or buff. 



In habits, these dogs present all the characteristics of fero- 

 cious beasts of prey. They prowl by night and by day in- 

 discriminately, and hunt in packs of from ten to sixty. While 

 in pursuit, they utter a peculiar yelp, and it is on scent, and 

 not on sight, that they mainly depend for success. Their 

 speed is, however, considerable, and their savage courage and 

 endurance render them a terror to the most formidable rangers 

 of the wild. The panther, the wild hull, the tiger, the 

 elephant, fall an easy prey before a pack of dholes. On they 

 swrcp, coming upon their game with the force of an avalanche, 

 and overwhelming their victim in a living torrent. The 

 hunted animal may, indeed, kill many of his enemies ; but he 

 has little time afforded him for exertion, or display of prowess, 



* Original or primeval dog. 



t Has any one of my zoological readers ever found the hinder tubercular 

 tooth of the lower jaw absent? If so, I would be thankful for the in- 

 formation. The connection of deficiency of hairy covering with deficiency 

 of teeth, has been already pointed out by that eminent naturalist, Col 

 II. Smith ; but I have met with more instances in opposition to than con- 

 firmatory of his opinion in this resprct. 



