4 



OUR DOMESTIC ANIMALS 



later. The photographs here 

 presented endeavor to recall 

 them. 



In the following jjages 

 there will also be found 

 much advice that may be 

 useful to the breeder of each 

 particular race. It does not 

 enjoin moi'e or less precise 

 methods, or gi\'e sjiecial 

 rules, but simply gives counsels 

 of general utility, recognized, 

 collected, and applied for many 

 \'ears by the most noted breed- 

 ers with fortimate results. The 

 breeding of stock for jji'oht or 

 pleasure (but siieciall)" for j^rofit 

 in the care of horses, sheep, 

 and poultry of all kinds) has 

 become very extensive of late, 

 and the regions where it is 

 chiefly carried on ha\'e cleri\'ed 

 much benefit from it. The 



raising of useful and handsome animal 

 stock has become a science, which 

 now actually forms a subdi\-ision in 

 zoology. The zoologist could prob- 

 ably derive large profits from the 

 breeding of horses, dogs, and poultry, 

 if closer relations could be established 

 between the two sciences, and if the 

 halls of study opened wider in the 

 direction of stables and kennels. 



Zoology is the theor)' of practical 

 breeding ; for without exact knowl- 

 edge of the life of animals the 

 breeder will never succeed in perfect- 

 ing certain qualities. But it is not 

 from books that he can learn the prac- 

 tical working of life or the art of 

 giving it: he must, above all, rely on 

 experience. 



The special literature on these 

 topics is not in all hands. He who 

 owns a dog or a pony does not fill 

 his library with books on dogs, nor 

 does he put in his stable a shelf of 

 books treating of ponies. But there 

 are many things to be told of the 

 dog and the pony which would in- 

 terest that owner and perhaps give 

 him fresh ideas about them. 

 The history of dogs, like 

 that of other domestic ani- 

 mals, is of very ancient date, 

 and is closely related, in fact 

 is even parallel, to that of 



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