■i-2-2 ZOOLOGY 



maltese. Cats are carnivorous. Since they are sly, noiseless 

 of tread, anil cjuick of movement, they are the most effi- 

 cient check upon the multiplication of house mice and rats 

 (Fig. 389). 



The dog belongs to a species that hunts in the wild state 

 in bands or packs. It becomes attached to man, and readily 

 removes with him to live in a new locality. Numerous races 

 are recognized, varying in size and proportions of parts. Tlie 

 mastiffs and great Danes are breeds of large size, while the 

 Japanese bulldogs and the toj' spaniels are \'ery small. The 

 hair of dogs, like that of cats, is either long or short. It may 

 ))e either straight, or curled as in the setters. In color it is 

 white, black, red, and piebald, that is to say, a mixture of 

 all three colors. Races of dogs differ in their mental as well 

 as their physical attributes. Some dogs, like the collies, are 

 gentle, while others, notal^ly the bulldog, are verj^ pugnacious. 

 The dog was probably one of the first animals to be domesti- 

 cated bj' man, although economically less useful to him than 

 other races later accjuired (Fig. 390). 



Cattle are easily maintained in confinement, and furnish 

 milk, meat, and hides. They originated from some unlvnown 

 Asiatic species and have been domesticated f(jr over 6000 years. 

 The races differ in size and in the quality ami quantity of milk. 

 The large Holstein produces the greatest amount of milk, while 

 the small Jersey produces milk which contains a large percen- 

 tage of butter-making fat, and the Hereford and Angus breeds 

 produce large animals for beef. 



Horses were domesticated for purposes of transportation 

 and general work. It is believed that two species have been 

 combined to make our common carriage horse. One is the 

 small Siberian pony that was early brought into central and 



