Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume VI.djvu/187

DOG 179 wolves and jackals in their habits and instincts, and approximate the domestic dog in the small size of the anal glands. The buansuah of Nepaul (C. primavus, Hodg.) is of a deep rust color above and yellowish below ; it is intermediate in size between a wolf and a jackal, hunting by day or night by the scent chiefly, in small troops ; there are several varieties in the wood- ed mountains of British India. (See BUAN- SUAH.) The dhole of India (C. scylax, Smith) is more slender than the buansuah, higher on the legs, with a sharper muzzle, long close- haired tail, and large dark ears ; the color is a light bay. The dhole of Ceylon (C. Ceyloni- cus, Shaw) is an allied, if not the same species. The pariah cur dogs of India are not merely de- graded mongrels, but are the offspring of an indigenous wild species living in the jungles and in the lower Himalaya range ; this resem- bles the jackal more than the wolf, but is more bulky in body and lower on the legs ; the voice is yelping and howling. Other red wild dogs are found in Sumatra and Java. The Austra- Dingo. lian dingo (C. Australasia of authors) is a wild dog which has been partially domesticated by the natives, and is no doubt an indigenous in- habitant, not introduced by man; in its native wilds it howls in a melancholy manner, and it is more than a match for a domestic dog of the same size ; it hunts in small packs, sometimes in pairs, and is very active and fierce. It stands about 2 ft. high ; the color above is ful- vous spotted with white, paler on the sides and throat, and whitish below ; it carries the tail horizontally, and runs with the head high and the ears turned forward. The genus thous, of which the typical species is the wild dog of Egypt (C. anthus, F. Cuv.), resembles the wolf on a small scale, being not more than 18 in. high, of a light structure, with rather short tail, close, ochry fur, barred or pencilled with black and white ; the species do not burrow, and are not gregarious, seldom hoAvl, and have no offensive smell ; they all have the tip of the tail black, and prefer rocky, sandy districts, where there are bushes and water. Hamilton Smith is of the opinion that the greyhound of the desert was originally derived from one of the species of this section. It is found from Egypt and Arabia to the Cape of Good Hope. South America when first discovered by the Spaniards had its indigenous canines, all with a tendency to elliptical pupils, though less so than in true foxes ; among these are the aguara dogs, genus dusicyon (Smith). These are be- tween the wolf and the fox in form, with bulky body and short legs ; they burrow and are more social and gentle than the aguara wolf (C. jubatus, Desm.). This group seems to represent the tkous of the old world, though the forehead is more rounded, and the tail consists of an imperfect brush ; the prevailing color is fulvous brown, often with a hoary tinge ; the face looks like that of the fox ; they are not very shy, and are capable of being do- mesticated; they are great thieves, with a propensity to conceal objects of no use as food ; besides the usual articles of diet, they will eat fish, crabs, reptiles, insects, small birds, and even mollusks and berries ; they are generally silent and hunt by day or by moonlight ; they are good swimmers. Several species are de- scribed, ranging from Surinam to the Falkland islands ; the domesticated specimens differ but little from the wild originals, except in the tail being less bushy ; the average height is 15 in. ; there are five toes to each foot, and the gape of the mouth is large and wolf-like ; they hunt pacas, agoutis, and wild gallinaceous birds. All these wild dogs cross with the domesti- cated ones of the country, forming the most complicated intermixtures. Certain varieties have relapsed into a wild state. In Asia Minor there is a race of these feral dogs (as Hamilton Smith calls them), of nearly the size of the local wolf, and resembling the shepherd's dog except that they have a more bushy tail, sharper nose, and the fur reddish gray, and that they hunt in packs in open day. A smaller breed is found in Russia. In Santo Domingo there is a large feral dog of the race of hounds formerly used -by the Spaniards in their west- ern conquests ; it is about 28 in. high, with a head like a terrier, and the general color pale bluish ash ; its scent is very fine, and it follows its prey with great speed, attacking it with ferocity ; flocks sometimes suffer from its dep- redations; it is believed that it was intro- duced into Spain from the north, such is its resemblance to the Danish dog. In the pampas of South America are troops of feral dogs, a mixture of all the breeds of the country; their ears are erect as in true wild canines; they are bold and cunning, destroying many of the young of the wild herds of cattle and horses ; when redomesticated, they are remarkable for their courage, sagacity, and acute sense of smell. Of the true domesticated races, the arctic dogs of both hemispheres are large, of wolfish aspect, with pointed nose, erect ears, and long hair of mixed black and white ; they are fierce.