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CHAPTER IX. 



THE WOLF (CANIS LUPUS). 



The animals wMcli are classified under this heading are the most 

 important representatives of the dog family (Ganidce) now existing 

 in a wild state ; for with the exception of the jackal nearly all 

 the other members have been domesticated, and the various species 

 included in the generic title of " the dog." It is not within the 

 province of a work on wild beasts to describe that most affec- 

 tionate and faithful friend to man, which was probably one of the 

 first of the created animals to become attached and evince 

 afEection for him. It has been weU said that " the dog is the most 

 complete, singular, and useful conquest ever made by man over 

 the brute creation : each individual is devoted to his particular 

 master, assumes his manners, knows and defends his property, 

 and remains attached to him till death ; and all this neither from 

 constraint nor want, but solely from the purest gratitude and 

 truest friendship. The swiftness, strength, and scent of the dog 

 have rendered him man's powerful ally against all other animals, 

 and have perhaps mainly contributed to the establishment of 

 society." 



One of the most puzzling problems to naturalists is to define 

 the number of species of dogs now existing, and their origin. 

 Some contend that they all acknowledge the same ancestor, and 

 even the wild species, the wolf, the jackal, and others are the 

 offspring of dogs once domesticated, but which have relapsed to 

 their primitive condition. Others maintain that the woK is the 

 true father of the tribe, while a few claim this honour for the 



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