WILD ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY 



by selection and careful breeding. (It is said that if a 

 fox-terrier were stretched out similarly to pulling out a 

 piece of indiarubber, all over his body, legs, head and 

 all, he could be turned into a greyhound. It is well known 

 that no fox-terrier is thoroughbred without greyhound 

 blood in him.) I may, however, from the opportunities I 

 have had of observing so many living examples of the 

 above-named animals, be able to offer a few remarks upon 

 the subject. 



In the first place, I find that wolves differ greatly in 

 size, colour, and markings. Wolves from the Arctic 

 regions are larger, lighter in colour, and have a much 

 longer and thicker coat than those inhabiting milder 

 climates ; and it appears to me that many of the varieties 

 from different parts of the world have been considered as 

 distinct species, without sufficient characters to mark 

 their distinction. With regard to the jackals, they are 

 more readily distinguishable, and several well-marked 

 species are known and recognized. 



I now come to the dog. The origin of the" extraor- 

 dinary number of ireeds of dogs, the astonishing variety of 

 size, form, colour, etc., render any attempt to account for 

 their origin a task of much difficulty, but, as most wild 

 dogs appear to be descendants of domestic dogs which 

 have become wild, it is necessary to endeavour to account 

 for the origin of the domestic race. 



There can be no doubt that the Esquimaux dogs are 

 reclaimed or domesticated wolves. All wolves if taken 

 young and reared by man are tame, playful, and exhibit a 

 friendship for those who feed and attend to them ; the 

 same may be said of all the species of jackals. This being 

 so, it is highly probable that both wolves and jackals 

 were constantly found in the company of man, and, by this 

 association, they may have become mixed. A mixed 



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