THE ALCO. 329 



that this diaphanous peculiarity was not a specific 

 character, but a mere adventitious deviation from 

 normal condition. 



THE ALCO. 



When I had the pleasure of visiting Mr. Hill at 

 Spanish-town I made the acquaintance of a beautiful 

 little inmate in his family, a white silky Lap-dog, with 

 large melting black eyes. The interest which attached 

 to this Dog was greatly enhanced, when I was in- 

 formed that it was a specimen of the Mexican Mopsy, 

 the white woolly variety of the Alco, or native Dog, 

 found both in the islands and on the continent at the 

 time of the discovery. To gratify my wishes for all 

 the details that he could give me of the history of 

 this interesting breed of dogs, my friend kindly drew 

 up the following memoir, which he afterwards com- 

 municated to me.* 



* In an accompanying note my friend thus alludes to the Intro- 

 duction of his illustrative reminiscences : I doubt not my readers will 

 agree with me in thinking that they greatly embellish the subject by 

 their graphic pictorial power, and need no apology. 



" You will perceive that I have introduced an extract from my 

 MS. notes of travels in Haiti, The Alco was so much a part of the 

 domestic life of the aboriginal Indians, and this passage was so much 

 an illustration of that life, that I thought it not inappropriate to the 

 subject. In mentioning the fruits, I have set down the Indian and 

 Spanish names generally. The Aguacate is the Persea gratissima ; 

 Avogada Pear is a corruption. The Guanabana is the Anona muri- 

 cata, our Sour Sop. The Maranon I have indicated by Anacardium, 

 the Cashew. The Ciruclas are the Spondias, our Plums. The 

 Maimon, as well as I can remember, is the largest of the Mammeas" 



