20 



THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC li^AGAZINE 



this series was not the production of a 

 "standard of perfection" of the various 

 "breeds" of dogs. It was to give, as far 

 as possible, the proper appearance of ac- 

 ceptable types that have been dignified by 

 a name, and to show in what way they 

 are entitled to the friendship and care 

 and companionship of man. Let it not 

 be thought that it was an easy task, nor 

 that had time, opportunity, early concen- 

 tration, and a larger acquaintance with 

 the field been part of the artist's equip- 

 ment, the result would not have been far 

 more satisfactory to the reader and to 

 him.* 



It these pictures it has been less his 

 notion to establish types and a pictorial 

 standard than to show the "man on the 

 street" the general appearance and the 

 special reason for being of the seventy- 

 odd "kinds" of dogs that seemed to the 

 editor and the artist best included in such 

 an exposition as this. There are, of 

 course, other recognized varieties of dogs, 

 but those shown are the kinds best 

 known. 



* Outstanding among the many helps in the 

 preparation of this series are the names of 

 many men and women who entered early into 

 the cooperative spirit of the times and gave 

 essential aid where it was much needed. Man 

 is a fickle animal, and as the natural conse- 

 quence of this trait many loves of earlier days 

 languish and fade as newer beauties meet his 

 eye. Thus it was impossible to get modern 

 material on such dogs as the Newfoundland 

 and pug, no longer extensively bred, as their 

 day of grace is done. For these reference was 

 freely made to books, chief among which were 

 Leighton's "Book of the Dog" and Watson's 

 "Dog Book" (first 2 vol. cd.) to "Field and 

 Fancy,'' and to the illustrated supplements to 

 "Our Dogs," published in England, 



To his "contributing collaborators'' the art- 

 ist desires gratefully to acknowledge the help 

 of Messrs. Skinner and Lewis, of "Field and 

 Fancy," and of Mr. A. R. Rost for informa- 

 tion, material, and kindly criticism ; Messrs. 

 Harry W. Smith, Miss Amy Bonham, Mrs. 

 Henry Sampson, Jr., Mrs. C. H. Yates, Mrs. 

 Haley Fisk, Mr, A. J. Davis, Mr. R. M. Barker, 

 Mr A. K. Easton, Mr Jacob Rupert, Jr., 

 Major B. F. Throop, Mr. F. Gualdo Ford, Mr. 

 E. Kilburn-Scott, Miss Ruth Nicholls, the 

 Mepal Kennels, and others for the generosity 

 with which they supplied photographs and 

 other material bearing on the dogs in which 

 each is particularly interested. 



Indeed, should the artist specifically acknowl- 

 edge each one who has contributed his share 

 in the work, it would, he fears, occupy more 

 space than does the finished article ! 



THE WOLVES AND COYOTES 



(Por illustralion, sec page 18) 



The timber, or gray, wolf, which undoubtedly 

 has an influence in the formation of the native 

 Indian and E.skimo dogs of this country, for- 

 merly occupied practically all of the northern 

 continent of America. He is a large, strong 

 animal, attaining a weight of probably well 

 over 100 pounds. His main points of differ- 

 ence from "true" dogs are the woolly brush 

 and the small, obliquely set eyes. 



In form he is close counterpart of such dogs 

 as the German shepherd (see page 48). His 

 coat is harsh and quite long, especially on the 

 neck, throat, shoulders, and hind quarters. In 

 color he ranges from nearly pure white in the 

 Arctic to black in Florida and the more humid 

 regions. The average color is grizzled gray 

 and buff. 



The coyote is extremely similar in color, fol- 

 lowing the changes, geographically, which char- 

 acterize his big and burly cousin. In weight 

 the coyote seldom goes over 60 pounds, and an 

 average would probably be under 40. He is 

 much more fox-like in general appearance, 

 having relatively as well as actually a more 

 slender muzzle and even bushier tail. His gait 

 is an easy, shadow-like trot until scared or in 

 hot pursuit, when he flattens out and simply 

 flies over the ground.t 



DINGO 



(Por illustration, see page 18) 



Several fine dingos have been kept in various 

 zoological gardens in this country, those in 

 Washington being especially typical and well 

 conditioned. The dingo is the most doglike 

 of any of the wild members of the canine 

 group, and the fact that they interbreed freely 

 and produce regularly fertile progeny is fur- 

 ther evidence of its proximity to the dogs of 

 mankind. 



He is a medium-sized animal, weighing 60 to 

 80 pounds, possessing all the dog's traits of 

 character and of physique. He has a broad 

 head, moderate-pointed ears, strong, well- 

 boned legs, and a deep chest, which fit him for 

 the long chase. His one wolfy characteristic 

 is the quite bushy tail, which is about half-way 

 between whdi a dog of similar coat would 

 carry and the brush of a wolf. 



Dingos untinctured by dog blood are self- 

 colored red or tawny and are very fine-looking 

 animals. They are said to be readily tamable, 

 and those the artist has known were as tame 

 and companionable as any dog, 'They would 

 come to the bars of their inclosure, ears back 

 and tails wagging, and lick the hand of their 

 l<eeper, and did the same for the artist if the 

 keeper was present. Never having tried to 



t For a more detailed description of wolves 

 and coyotes, see E. W. Nelson's "Wild Ani- 

 mals of North America," with illustrations in 

 color from paintings by Louis Agassiz Fuertes, 

 published by the National Geographic Society. 



