^Gi THE PHILOSOPHY 



The influence of food upon the dog-kind feems not to be great. 

 In all his variations and degradations, he appears to follow the dif- 

 ferences of climate. In the warmeft climates, he is naked ; in the 

 northern regions, he is covered with a coarfe thick hair ; and he is 

 adorned with a fine filky robe in Spain and Syria, where the mild 

 temperature of the air converts the hair of moft quadrupeds into a 

 kind of filk. Befide thefe external variations produced by climate, 

 the dog undergoes other changes, which proceed from his fituation, 

 his captivity, and the nature of the intercourfe he holds with man. 

 His fize is augmented or diminifhed by obliging the fmaller kinds 

 to unite together, and by obferving the fame conduct with the larger 

 individuals. The fhortening of the tail and ears proceeds alfo from 

 the hand of man. Dogs who have had their ears and tails cut for 

 a few generations, tranfmit thefe defeats, in a certain degree, to their 

 defcendants. Pendulous ears, the moft certain mark of domeftic fer- 

 vitude and of fear, are almoft univerfal. Of many races of dogs, a 

 few only have retained the primitive Hate cf their ears. Eredl ears 

 are now confined to the wolf-dog, the fliepherd's dog, and the dog 

 of the North. 



The colour of animals is greatly variegated by domeftlcation. The 

 dog, the ox, the ftieep, the goat, the horfe, have affumed all kinds 

 of colours, and even mixtures of colours, in the fame individuals. 

 The hog has changed from black to white ; and white, without the 

 intermixture of fpots, is generally accompanied with efleniial imper- 

 fections. Men who are remarkably fair, and whofe hair is white, 

 have generally a defedl in their hearing, and, at the fame time, 

 weak and red eyes. Quadrupeds which are entirely white have like- 

 wife red eyes and a duUnefs of hearing. The variations from the 

 original colour are moft remarkable in our domeftic fowls. In a 

 brood of chickens, though the eggs be laid by the fame hen, and 



though 



