THE DOG. 33 



but will take no notice of the comine and eo- 

 ing of the regular inmates. 



It would seem, therefore, that the watch- 

 dog's peculiar virtue is directly traceable to the 

 old instinct for guarding the lair of the pack. 

 And in following this instinct, the dog indicates 

 that it is not his custom to act single-handed. , 

 The very fact that he growls or barks at a 

 stranger shows that a vocal intimation to his 

 fellows of the presence of a possible enemy is 

 part of his plan. Every one has noticed that 

 the barkingf of one dosf will set off others with- 

 in hearing, so that on a still night an alarm 

 at one spot will disturb a whole suburb. Al- 

 though no wolves or wild dogs are known to 

 bark in the true canine manner, it is impos- 

 sible to imasfine that so distinct and almost 

 universal a habit of the domestic varieties can 

 have been deliberately initiated by man. Sev- 

 eral instances are recorded of Eskimo dogs, and 

 even dingoes and wolves, learning to bark by 

 spontaneous imitation of domestic dogs. Foxes 

 make a noise very like barking when they chal- 

 lenge one another among the hills at night, and 

 it is not difficult to provoke an answer by im- 

 itating the sound under appropriate conditions. 



c 



