AMERICAN DOGS. 17 



outcasts, and obtain a scanty living either by hunting wild 

 animals where they abound, or, in those populous districts where 

 game is scarce, by devouring the offal which is left in the streets 

 and outskirts of the towns. The EUa, also called the Deal, is 

 of considerable size, with a large head, small pricked ears, and 

 round muzzle. His aspect in general resembles that of the wolf, 

 excepting in colour, which, as above remarked, varies greatly, 

 and in the tail, which is almost always spotted or variegated. 

 These dogs are extremely savage, probably from the constant 

 abuse which they meet with, and they are always ready to 

 attack a stranger on his entrance into any of the villages of the 

 country. They are revolting animals, and unworthy of the 

 species they belong to. 



V.— THE NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICAN DOGS. 



A great variety of the dog tribe is to be met with throughout 

 the continent of America, resembling in type the dingo of Aus- 

 tralia, but appearing to be crossed with some of the different 

 kinds introduced by Europeans. One of the most remarkable 

 of the South American dogs is the Alco, which has pendulous 

 ears, with a short tail and hog-back, and is supposed to be 

 descended from the native dog found by Columbus ; but, even 

 allowing this to be the case, it is of course much intermixed 

 with foreign breeds. The North American dogs are very closely 

 allied to the dingo in all respects, but are generally smaller in 

 size, and are also much crossed with European breeds. In some 

 districts they burrow in the ground, but the march of civilisation 

 is yearly diminishing their numbers throughout the continent of 

 America. 



