MAMMALS AS PETS 



383 



The Dog (Canis familiaris), man's earliest friend among 

 the animals, is undoubtedly the " king of pets ", for even the 

 commonest mongrel is full of intelligence, and overflows with 

 affection for his owner, even when subjected to much ill treatment, 

 as is but too often the case. Among the breeds which have 

 been brought into existence simply to be petted may be men- 

 tioned — the Italian Greyhound, the Pug (a diminutive and 



Fig. 1270. — Young Chimpanzee {AiitJiropopithecus niger) 



particularly ugly relative of the mastiff, fig. 1271), the King 

 Charles Spaniel, the Skye Terrier, the "Toy" Terrier, and the 

 Poodle. The last is particularly clever in learning tricks, as 

 may often be noted in exhibitions of performing dogs. The 

 Dalmatian and the Hairless Dog of Japan are both curiosities 

 in their way. No better example than these and other breeds 

 of Dog could be given to show the effect of human interference 

 upon the normal course of evolution. Modifications in shape, 

 size, proportions, colour, hair, and even temperament have been 

 brought about within a comparatively short space of time, in a 



