1 100 Quadrupeds. 



Another extensive division of the species, and which appears to me 

 to have been spread over a different portion of the globe, and proba- 

 bly to belong to the western part of Asia, the southern parts of Europe 

 and north of Africa, may perhaps be regarded as comprising the 

 true hunting-dogs. They possess, for the most part, well-developed 

 noses ; their ears are large, broad and pendulous ; their proportions 

 rather thick than otherwise ; their jaws large, as compared with those 

 of other dogs, and their tails thick. The descriptions of hounds left 

 by Greek authors, seem to have been applied to dogs of this stock, 

 which will also be recognized in the old English hound, and in all 

 the varieties of the modern hound, down to the beagle. The pointer 

 strikingly exhibits the same characters, and all the varieties of spaniel 

 appear to be essentially branches of the same family, though probably 

 modified by a cross, respecting which I shall presently hazard a con- 

 jecture. The true smooth terrier appears to be of the same division, 

 though some passing under this name are probably mixed with ano- 

 ther stock. In some of the dogs of this group we find probably the 

 most marked effects of culture. Their large pendulous ears, as in 

 some varieties of rabbits, may.be referred to this cause. With a great- 

 er degree of submission and attention to man, they have also a greater 

 degree of dependance upon him, and some almost resemble the sheep 

 and the cow in this respect, whilst their more artificial faculties, which 

 have been cultivated for many generations, have become innate in the 

 offspring. Thus the pointer's puppy, of a few weeks old, begins to 

 point of his own accord, and anticipates the first lessons of his trainer, 

 just as Dr. Prichard has stated that young horses will frequently adopt 

 the artificial paces which have been taught to their sires. 



A third group is less distinctly marked as a whole, and I am not 

 prepared to lay any great stress on the reasons which have induced 

 me to bring some of its varieties together ; but in others we have the 

 strongest evidence of their affinity, both in visible characters and 

 known connexion of blood, notwithstanding great apparent differen- 

 ces of figure. In this group I would place the greyhound, and that 

 variety of shepherd's dog which most nearly approaches him in form. 

 It would be quite a mistake to suppose that the shepherd's dog is a 

 single variety, since different kinds of dogs are employed for this pur- 

 pose in different districts. The transition from the greyhound to one 

 of the shepherd's dogs takes place by almost insensible degrees, and 

 Cooper's description of half lurcher and half cur, must be familiar 

 and graphic to almost every one. In the young animals, when 

 no mutilation of the tail has taken place, the resemblance is most 



