COMPARATIVE ANATOMY. 88 



There is the skull of a dog in the Oxford Museum in which 

 I counted the following formula :- 



3—3 I— I 4—4 3—3 

 I . c PM M 46 



3—3 I— I 5—5 3—3 



Two more teeth that the typical formula, four more teeth than 



that of a dog ordinarily. 



On close examination I found that the first pre-molar, which 

 is a double-fanged tooth, had in this particular skull been re- 

 placed both in the upper and lower jaw by two single-fanged 

 teeth, immediately following the canine teeth, thus producing 

 the extra and unusual number. 



On further inquiring into the history of this skull, it appeared 

 that it came of a race of dogs that had been petted, and fed 

 unnaturally for many generations, and nature had revenged 

 itself, so to speak, by violating her usual laws. 



I would mention this as a caution to my lady audience, that 

 pampering pet dogs, and changing their natural habits of life 

 in an excessive degree has been often known to produce ano- 

 malies similar to the one that I have mentioned. The dog is 

 a very near relative to that much dreaded animal the wolf, the 

 structure of its skeleton being identical. 



The only wild species of the Canis or Dog tribe in this 

 country is the Fox, Canis Vulpes, of which I have a skull here 

 upon the table. 



The predatory habits of the Fox are too well-known to the 

 farmer's wife to need any comment : the Fox, however, when 

 game and poultry are not to be had, will content itself with 

 other small animals, not even disdaining worms and insects ; 

 when he resides near the coast, he will resort to the beach to 

 feed on sea shells and shell-fish, and some of the older natu- 

 ralists give a ludicrous account of the Fox putting his tail into 

 the water to catch Crabs, giving us an additional reason for 

 the common proverb, "As cunning as a Fox." 



The Otter, whose skull is before me, is as you know dis- 

 tinguished by its aquatic habits. It has 3 false molars in each 

 jaw on either side, and the molars are more tuberculatcd than 

 those of the dog, to adapt them to their different habits of life. 



Their toes are also united by a membrane to fit them for 



M 



