DOG* 
213 
iliose singularities, or by destroying such as hap- 
pened to want them ; besides, as the dog produces 
much more frequently than some other animals* 
and lives a shorter time, so the chance for its 
varieties will be offered in greater proportion. 
But which is the original animal, and which 
the artificial or accidental variety, is a question 
which, as was said, is not easily resolved. If the 
internal structure of dogs of different sorts be 
compared with each other, it will he found, ex- 
cept in point of size, that in this respect they are 
exactly the same. This, therefore, affords no 
criterion. If other animals be compared with the 
dog internally, the wolf and the fox will be 
found to have the most perfect resemblance ; it 
is probable, therefore, that the dog, which most 
nearly resembles the wolf or the fox externally, is 
the original animal of its kind ; for it is natural 
to suppose, that as the dog most nearly resembles 
them internally, so lie may be near them in exter- 
nal resemblance also, except where art or accident 
has altered his form. This being supposed, if 
we look among the number of varieties to be 
found in the dog, we shall not find one so like 
the wolf or the fox, as that which is called the 
shepherd's dog. This is that dog with long coarse 
hair on all parts except the nose, pricked ears* 
and a long nose, which is common enough among 
us, and receives his name from being principally 
used in guarding and attending on sheep. This 
seems to be the primitive animal of his kind ; and 
we shall be the more confirmed in this opinion, 
if we attend to the different characters which 
climate produces in the animal, and the different 
races of dogs which are propagated in every coun- 
try ; and, in the first place, if we examine those 
countries which are still savage, or but half 
civilized, where it is most probable the dog, like 
