ORDER CARNASSIER. 323 



case : it is not because we train him to our use, and have 

 made choice of him in preference to other animals, but 

 because this particular species feels a natural desire to be 

 useful to man, and from spontaneous impulse attaches itself 

 to him. Were it not so, we should see in various countries 

 an equal familiarity with various other quadrupeds ; ac- 

 cording to the habits, the taste, or the caprice of different 

 nations. But everywhere it is the Dog only takes delight 

 in associating with us, in sharing our abode, and is even 

 jealous that our attention should be bestowed on him alone : 

 it is he who knows us personally, watches for us, and 

 warns us of danger. It is impossible for the naturalist, 

 when taking a survey of the whole animal creation, not to 

 feel a conviction that this friendship between two creatures 

 so different from each other, must be the result of the laws 

 of nature ; nor can the humane and feeling mind avoid the 

 belief that kindness to those animals from which he derives 

 continued and essential assistance, is part of his moral duty." 



The upper cheek-teeth of the Dog are six on each side, 

 the three first are sharp trenchant, called by our author 

 false molars ; the following, a carnivorous tooth, has two 

 cutting lobes, beyond which on each side are two flat teeth. 

 In the lower jaw there are seven, four false molars, a car- 

 nivorous tooth, with the posterior part flat, and two tuber- 

 culous teeth behind it. The length of jaws and muzzle 

 vary greatly. The tongue is smooth. The ears are ex- 

 tremely variable. There are five toes on the fore-feet, and 

 four on those behind, furnished with longish nails, obtuse, 

 and not retractile, and the mamma? are ventral. The eye- 

 pupils are circular in all the species except the Foxes. 



The females are pregnant sixty-three days, and produce 

 generally three, four, or five at a time ; but some of the 

 more fertile species bring from six to ten ; and instances 

 do occur of thirteen whelps at a litter. They are born 

 with the eyes closed, which do not open for ten days or a 



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