NATURAL HISTORY AND ORIGIN OF DOGS. 
565 
its game more by scent than sight, as may be inferred from the 
nature of the localities which it inhabits, and wears it out by con- 
tinuous perseverance. Although irreclaimable in the adult state, 
its puppies, when captured early, and shewn a good example by 
being reared along with our domesticated kinds, are both gentle and 
sagacious. The species inhabits wooded and rocky mountain 
ranges between the Sutledj and Brahmapootra, and, under certain 
modifications, seems to extend far southwards to the Ghauts, the 
Nielgherries, and the coast of Coromandel. Mr. Hodgson was 
long resident in Nepaul, and was, we believe, the first to give us 
a distinct account of the buansa. He maintains it to be the original 
source of all domesticated dogs throughout the world, and hence his 
Adamic-looking designation of canis primcevus. Having all the 
habits of the hound, it may naturally be presumed, amongst hunting 
nations, to have been early reclaimed, and easily educated for the 
chase — a pleasant pastime, and may, no doubt, in this way have 
originated the hunting races of different and very distant tribes. 
But, as Mr. Low has observed, “ there is nothing in the characters 
of this, more than in those of any other given species, that can 
enable us to conclude that it can have produced all the dogs of the 
world. There is no more resemblance between this mountain hound 
of Nepaul and the sledge-dog of Greenland than between the grey- 
hound of Persia and the terrier of England*.” We may here 
briefly mention, that the wild dog called Kolsun, described by Col. 
Sykes, the Dhole (so called), discovered by Mr. Wooler among the 
Mahablishwar hills, and the Quihee, as identified by Dr. Spry, are 
all referable to the Buansa race. 
The wild dog of Beloochistan is both shy and ferocious, and 
keeps aloof from all human habitations. It is referred to by Colonel 
Hamilton Smith, as being one of two species of wild canines which 
occur in the woody mountains of south-eastern Persia, and probably 
extend along the lofty lands west of the Indus into Cabul. It 
hunts in packs of twenty or thirty, and when thus congregated will 
attack a bullock or a buffalo, and tear it in pieces in a few moments. 
Allied to these are the dogs called Dholes in India, so named 
from an ancient Asiatic root signifying recklessness. The true 
Dhole ( Chryseus scylax of Hamilton Smith) is described as in- 
termediate in size between the wolf and the jackal, slightly made, 
of a light bay colour, with a sharp face, and fierce keen eyes. In 
form it approaches the greyhound : the tail is straight, not bushy ; 
the ears wide, pointed, open, and triangular ; the skin is dark, with 
the nose, muzzle, back of the ears, and feet, of a sooty hue. It is 
reported to hunt in large packs, and to utter a cry, while on the 
VOL. XX 
* Domesticated Animals , p. 649. 
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