FEET OF DOMESTIC DOGS. 479 
feet of Newfoundlands and terriers with respect to the forward 
extension of the skin between the digits. 
He also referred to a record by Mr. Greenhow of the occurrence 
in Canada of a peculiar dog with ‘ half-webbed feet’ which was 
‘fond of the water’ (Loudon’s Mag. of Nat. Hist. vi. p. 511, 
1833). and quoted Mr. C. O. Groom Napier to the effect that the 
hind feet of otter-hounds are more webbed than those of harriers 
and blood-hounds (‘ Land and Water,’ il. p. 270, 1866). 
Darwin, it may be added, attributed this alleged peculiarity in 
the feet of water- dogs partly, to unconscious selection by man 
and partly to the inherited effects of use. Finally, as suggestive 
of the correctness of the above-mentioned statements SES PSU ONS 
the webbing of the feet of Newfoundland dogs, we find ‘ well- 
webbed feet ’ enumerated amongst the show-points of this breed 
(J. J. Cooper, ‘The Kennel Encyclopedia,’ iii. p. 942, 1908). 
On the other hand, so long ago as 1861 or thereabouts, 
J. G. Wood wrote (Illustrated Nat. Hist. i. p. 271): ‘Some 
people fancy that the Water Spaniel possesses webbed feet, and 
that its aquatic prowess is due to this formation. Such, however, 
is not the case. All dogs have the toes connected with each 
other by a strong membrane, and when the foot is wide and the 
membrane rather loosely hung, as is the case with the Water 
Spaniel, a large surface is presented to the water. Now since it 
is generally admitted that the Newfoundland belongs to the 
same group of dogs as the Water Spaniel, it is difficult to find 
any reason why the larger form should have better-webbed feet 
than the smaller, since both are what are called ‘ water-dogs.’ 
Be it remembered, too, that Cuvier’s statement about the feet of 
Newfoundlands does not refer to the ‘looseness’ of the inter- 
digital web, but to its extension along the edges of the pads 
nearly up to the claws; and, as quoted above, this author asserted 
the existence of similar webs in other European breeds excluded 
from the category of running dogs. 
Being unable to procure the feet either of a Newfoundland dog 
or Otter-hound, I wrote to Mr. J. Sidney Turner, M.R.C.S., 
F.L.S., about the former breed and I venture to quote his reply. 
‘There is no doubt that Cuvier’s statement that the feet of 
Newfoundland dogs are more webbed than those of other dogs is 
a pure myth. I have heard the same statement made about 
Otter-hounds, but that is of course also wrong. The fact is, that 
both these breeds have rather larger or longer feet than usual 
compared with Mastiffs and Foxhounds. I mean that the feet 
are not so compact and drawn up, and therefore the webbing is 
rather more apparent, but it extends no farther along the 
phalanges of the toes.’ This is practically what J. G. Wood said 
about the Water Spaniel. And to clinch the matter so far as 
the Newfoundland is concerned, Mr. Vero Shaw, the only modern 
author, as Mr. Turner informed me, to mention the matter, 
wrote: ‘The feet must be broad and flat. The vulgar opinion 
that the dog is web-footed...has no other foundation in fact 
