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Ch. XXXVI.] 



INHEEITED INSTINCTS OF DOGS. 



295 



Tlie dog of pure 



often six times tliat of its antagonist, 

 breed inherits a disposition to this kind of chase, and never 



Even should the 



him, the dog 



attacks a deer from before while running, 

 deer, not perceiving him, come directly upon 



steps aside and makes his assault on the flank; whereas 

 other hunting dogs, though of superior strength, and general 

 sagacity, which are brought from Europe, are destitute of 

 this instinct. Eor want of similar i^recautions, they are 

 often killed by the deer on the spot, the vertebrae of their 

 neck being dislocated by the violence of the shock.^ 



A new instinct has also become hereditary in a mongrel 

 race of dogs employed by the inhabitants of the banks of 

 the Magdalena almost exclusively in hunting the white- 

 lipped pecari. The address of these dogs consists in re- 

 straining their ardour, and attaching themselves to no animal 

 in particular, but keeping the whole herd in check. Now, 



amon<? these do£rs some 



■t? 



mode 



of attack ; whereas, a dog of another breed starts forward at 

 once, is surrounded by the pecari, and, whatever may be his 



moment 



men 



minm 



associations in 



Some of our countr 

 in conducting one of 

 Mexico, that of Real del Monte, carried out with them some 

 English greyhounds of the best breed, to hunt the hares 



which abound in that country. 



platform 



IS 



here the scene of sport is at an elevation of about 



mercury 



barometer 



teen inches. It was found that the greyhounds could not 

 support the fatigues of a long chase in this attenuated 

 atmosphere, and before they could come up with their prey, 

 they lay down gasping for breath ; but these same animals 

 have produced whelps which have grown up, aiid are not in 

 the least degree incommoded by the want of density in the 

 air, but run down the hares with as much ease as the fleetest 

 of their race in this country. 



The fixed and deliberate stand of the pointer has with 



^ M. Eoulin, Ann. des. Sci. Nat., torn. xvi. p. 16. 1829, 



