526 
NATURAL HISTORY AND ORIGIN OF DOGS. 
by the European kinds, which, as hunting dogs, are capable of en- 
during much more fatigue. 
It would appear that in the southern parts of South America 
there are not now any dogs in a truly wild state, and that such as 
live with the natives are rather scarce than numerous. Captain 
Fitzroy describes the dog of Patagonia as being equal in size to a 
large fox-hound, and bearing a general resemblance to the lurcher 
and shepherd’s dog, but with an unprepossessing and very wolfish 
aspect. They hunt by sight, do not give tongue, but growl and 
bark when in the act of attacking or being attacked. Those 
of Terra del Fuego are much smaller, resembling terriers, or a 
mixture of the fox, shepherd’s dog, and terrier. They guard the 
dwellings of the natives, and bark furiously on the approach of 
strangers. They are also employed in hunting otters, and in catch- 
ing wounded or sleeping birds. As they are scarcely ever fed, they 
supply themselves at low water by dexterously detaching limpets 
from the rocks, or crunching mussels. During periods of famine, 
so valuable are dogs in some of the far parts of South America, 
that, according to Captain Fitzroy, “ it is well ascertained that the 
oldest women of the tribe are sacrificed to the cannibal appetites of 
their countrymen, rather than destroy a single dog. ‘ Dogs,’ say 
they, ‘ catch otters; old women are good for nothing.’ ” We have 
known many excellent, and by no means useless, old women. 
The absence of wild dogs from the most southern countries of 
South America is rendered more remarkable by the well-known 
fact, that a truly wild species, nearly allied to the Aguara dog, 
though distinct from it, occurs in the Falkland Islands. It is the 
only native quadruped of that group* (if we except possibly a 
field mouse), and is known to naturalists under the name of Cams 
Antarcticus. Mr. Darwin believes it to be quite peculiar to that 
archipelago, although not confined to the western island, as some 
have supposed. All the seal-hunters, Guachos, and Indians, who 
have visited these islands, maintain that no such creature is found 
in any part of South America. Molina, indeed, supposed that it 
was identical with the culpeu of the mainland ; but that is assuredly 
a different species, the Canis Magellanicus, brought to this coun- 
try some years ago by Captain King, from the straits from whence 
it takes its name, and common in Chili. These Falkland wolves, 
or wild dogs, were described by Commodore Byron, who noted 
their tameness and prying disposition — attributes which the sailors, 
mistaking for fierceness, avoided by taking sudden refuge in the 
water. To this day their manners remain the same. 
* The horses, horned cattle, hogs, and rabbits, though now numerous, have 
all been originally imported from other countries. 
