THE LIFE OF MAMMALS 
It is probable that the dog was the first, as it is the most 
universal, of domesticated animals. I believe that, almost from 
ees his beginning, man made a companion of something 
Domestic of the kind: perhaps, however, it would be nearer 
Dogs. ‘ : 
truth to say that the dog made a companion of him, 
for a striking characteristic of this fine animal is that he 
attaches himself voluntarily to mankind. This disposition 
has, no doubt, been greatly intensified by centuries of do- 
mestic associations, yet such a tendency must have been in- 
herent in the stock. Wolves are far less likely to attack 
human beings than are any other Carnivora; their whelps 
are the easiest of all to tame; and the wildest dogs stay 
about the camps of their owner, or follow him in his wan- 
derings, though their reward be scant in prosperity, and in 
adversity their confidence is betrayed in order to provide him 
with a meal. 
The origin of our house dogs has been the theme of copious 
speculation. Their world-wide 
presence —for, excepting in the 
South Sea Islands, the natives 
of every part of the globe have 
possessed them from time im- 
memorial; their extraordinary 
diversity —more than two hun- 
c Lown, Prot, red well-recognized breeds, 
“WaceLes," THE AuTHor’s Fox besides countless mongrels — 
TERRIER. and the fact that this diver- 
Type of Short-haired Dogs. sity seems to go back beyond 
the utmost horizon of history; 
the unlikeness of most modern dogs to any existing wild 
canine animal—all have been difficulties in solving the prob- 
lem. An examination of skulls and teeth, such as was made 
by Windle,** shows that we may leave out of account in 
reconstructing their pedigree everything outside of the genus 
198 
