Jciej 





^ 



i\ ^ 



^ 



e, 





■J 





■■v 



} 



m 



obe 



mte. 



ina 



idea 

 V be 



of 

 ^are 



T 



nan 



r,ffe 



:i1b 

 find 



»eof 



13 



ion 



an 



3 



iiH^ 



\ 



bo^ 







J 



Ch. XXXVI.] 



MULTIPLE OKIGIN OF THE DOG. 



293 



on some principle of tlie affinity of similar and tlie repul- 

 sion of dissimilar atoms. The cell-germs derived from two 

 individuals of distinct races may not readily unite or not 

 in sufficient numbers for the reproduction of the character- 

 istic attributes of the two parents ; they may be antagonistic 

 and neutralise each other's power in such a way as to allow 

 the gemmules derived from a remote progenitor to multiply 

 suddenly, gaining such an ascendancy as to revive certain 

 peculiarities of the original stock which had remained long 



in abeyance. 



MuUijple origin of the dog. — In regard to the origin of the 

 various canine races which have been domesticated by man 

 in all parts of the world, there is still no small diversity of 

 opinion. Mr. Darwin, after an elaborate analysis of all that 

 has been written on the subject, inclines to the belief which 

 Pallas entertained of the multiple origin of the dog, more 

 than one wild species having been blended together to pro- 

 duce the very distinct races which we now possess. The 

 celebrated John Hunter maintained that the wolf, the dog, 

 and the jackal were all of one species ; because he had found, 

 by two experiments, that the dog would breed both with the 

 wolf and the jackal; and that the mule, in each case, would 

 breed again with the dog. In these cases, however, it may 

 be observed, that there was always one parent at least of 

 pure breed, and no proof was obtained that a true hybrid 

 race could be perpetuated. 



It was formerly supposed that the period of gestation in 



and the wolf differed slightly; but experiments 

 have not borne out this opinion ; and Professor Owen has 

 been unable to confirm the alleged difference in the struc- 

 ture of a part of the intestinal canal. It seems scarcely to 

 admit of a doubt that both the jackal, and more than 



one species of wolf, have been occasionally crossed with 

 the dog. 



The main argument in favour of the different breeds of the 

 dog being the descendants of distinct wild stocks is their 

 resemblance, says Darwin, in various countries to indigenous 



the dog 



* Darwin 'On Variation/ chap. i. p. 20. 



% ~ 



