Extreme cold is equally prejudicial to some animals, neither the Newfoundland dog nor the bloodhound being capable of enduring the intense frigidity of the forests of Nothern Europe. The horse can withstand either intense cold or great heat. It is conceived that "aboriginally" he must have inhabited countries where snow fell heavily, as he long retains the instinct of pawing and scraping it away to get at the grass or other herbage beneath. The domesticated species of the dog, legion in number, are believed by some naturalists to have their descent from the wolf, from the jackal, or from an unknown and extinct species. Others again holding that they have descended from several species, extinct or recent and more or less commingled together; this it appears being the latest and most popular tenet. 66 Mr. Darwin himself says that it is highly probable the domestic dogs of the world issued from two good species of wolf (viz., C. lupus and C. latrans), and from two or three other doubtful species of wolves (namely, the European, Indian, and North African forms), from at least one or two South American canine species, from several races or species of the jackal, and perhaps from one or two more extinct species. But," he adds, "we shall never be able to ascertain their origin with certainty;" elsewhere remarking that, "with respect to the precise causes and steps by which the several races have come to differ so greatly from each other, we are, as in most cases, profoundly ignorant." It is curious that in the skulls of wolves and jackals, extinct and living, there is a close similarity; thought in the various breeds of the domestic dog a great difference is found. A very important fact which we should, however note, is that the period of gestation with wolves, jackals, dogs, and foxes is about the same. The main arguments in favour of the several breeds being the descendants of distinct wild stocks is in their resemblance to those distinct species still existing in various countries, though Mr. Darwin cannot admit that the comparisons between the wild and domesticated animal have been generally made with sufficient exactness. In Florida the black wolf-dog of the Indians differs according to Bartram, in nothing from the wolves of that country except in its attribute of barking. The wild dogs of La Plata resemble wolves and jackals, both of which hunt either singly or in packs, and burrow holes. Richardson says that the resemblance between the North American wolves and the domestic dogs of the Indians is so great, that the size and strength of the wolf seems to be the only difference. "I have more than once mistaken a band of wolves for the dogs of a party of Indians," he writes; "and the howl of the animals of both species is prolonged so exactly in the same key, that even the practised ear of the Indians fails to discriminate them." In disposition the Esquimaux dogs differ little from wolves, Dr. Hayes stating that they are capable of no attachment to man, being so ferocious, that they will attack their masters when urged by hunger, and he unhesitatingly pronounces them to be "reclaimed wolves,' Kane saying that the Indians take the whelps of the latter to improve the breed of their dogs. He often perceived in his teams of sledge dogs the oblique eye, the drooping tail, and scared look of the wolf. Crossing dogs with wolves to give boldness is a course the savages of Guiana, as well as the Indians of North America, have adopted. Lord Orford crossed a celebrated greyhound, which failed in courage, with a bulldog; and though after the sixth or seventh generation there was not a vestige of the form of the bulldog left, yet his courage and indomitable perseverance continued. The English greyhonnd is supposed to be the descendant, progressively improved, of the large rough Scottish greyhound of the third century, a cross with the Italian greyhound being suspected, but questioned on the score of fecbleness in the latter. The greyhound has gained in symmetry and beauty of form what he has lost in strength and stature, speed being the chief requirement sought in lieu of power in hauling down the stately stag, for which he was formerly bred. A Fancy bull-dogs are said to be reduced in size at the present day, bull-baiting having ceased, being assigned as the indirect cause. connexion between the bull-dog and mastiff is conjectured, the former being the more recent we assume, of the two. Pointers are dogs of Spanish origin; their very names, as Don, Ponto, Carlos, so usually given them, suggesting it; and yet they are no longer indigenous to the country. The pointer was not known in England before the year 1683, the breed since its introduction having been considerably modified. The Newfoundland-dog is supposed to have originated from a cross between the Esquimaux-dog and a large French hound. As we have previously said, breeds have diverged in character, and many old and intermediate sub-breeds have become extinct, the Irish wolf-dog, for example, having disappeared. Mr. Darwin, alluding to the fox-hound, quotes Lawrence, who says that an entirely new animal was raised through the breeders' art, the ears of the southern hound being lessened, the bone and bulk lightened, the waist increased in length, and the stature somewhat added to, a cross with the greyhound having, it is believed, affected this. Our domesticated quadrupeds are all descended, as far as is known, from species having erect ears; and yet few kinds of these animals can be named, of which one race has not drooping ears, horses in some parts of Russia having them, and dogs in every country almost. Wild animals use their ears like funnels to catch every passing sound, moving them to ascertain the direction whence it comes; and Mr. Blyth is quoted as having remarked that there is not any species now wild with drooping ears, except the elephant. Col. Hamilton Smith says that," with the exception of one Egyptian instance, no sculpture of the earlier Grecian era produces representations of hounds with completely drooping ears, those with them half-pendulous are missing in the most ancient; and this character increases by degrees in the works of the Roman period." Can The drooping of the ears of domesticated animals is thought to arise possibly from disuse; still the ears increase instead of diminishing. it be disuse of the tail that causes it to curl? Pigs and dogs have curly tails; but no wild animal known to us has a curly tail. There is, by the way, a tailless race of horses, and horses having hairless tails. Mr. Darwin looks upon some peculiar characteristics in the dog, though strictly inherited, as monstrosities; the shape of the head and legs of the turnspit, and the under hanging jaw of the bull pug-dog being adduced. Eccentricities of one sort and another will frequently pass from one generation to another, some of them being very startling. "Some writers, he says, "who have not attended to natural history, have attempted to show that the force of inheritance has been much exaggerated. The breeders of animals would smile at such simplicity; and if they condescended to make any answer, might ask what would be the chance of winning a prize if two inferior animals were paired together? They might ask whether the half-wild Arabs were led by theoretical notions to keep pedigrees of their horses." The dependence placed by ourselves upon pedigree has surpassed that of every country, and is evidenced in every purchase made where a valuable animal is required, and "hard cash paid down, over and over again," as the author says, "is an excellent test of inherited superiority," let it be a thousand guineas for a bull or three thousand for a horse. "Those who have attended to the subject of selection," says Mr. Darwin," will admit that nature having given variability, man, if he so chose, could fix five toes to the hinder feet of dogs, as certainly as to the feet of his Dorking fowls; he could probably fix, but with much more difficulty, an additional pair of molar teeth in either jaw in the same way as he has given additional horns to certain breeds of sheep; if he wished to produce a toothless breed of dogs, having the so-called Turkish dog, with its imperfect teeth to work on, he could probably do so, for he has succeeded in making hornless breeds of cattle and sheep ;" Lord Somerville, boasting of what breeders have done for sheep, saying, "It would seem as if they had chalked out upon a wall a form perfect in itself, and then had given it existence." In his book on the " Origin of Species," published a couple of years since, the author quotes Mr. Youatt in support of this theory of selec tion by man, who says, "It is the magician's wand, by means of which he may summon into life whatever form and mould he pleases;" Sir John Sebright, exemplified in saying, that with his pigeons "he would produce any given feather in three years; but it would take him six to obtain head and beak." We have rendered a very imperfect transcript from these two volumes, which by their innumerable proofs attest that the great power of the principle of selection is not hypothetical, and that a miraculous creation of the modified forms we behold has not prevailed where subjection to man's requirements has been permitted, while they equally demonstrate Providence beneficently conceding to him a knowledge of the means whereby adaptation to his special wants and wishes shall be ensured, through the variation of animals and plants under domestication. An engraving from the clever picture of "First at the Fence," exhibited at the Royal Academy last year, has recently appeared. STALLIONS FOR THE SEASON, 1868. [NONE BUT THOROUGH-BRED HORSES ARE GIVEN IN THIS LIST]. Name. Colour. Age. Pedigi ee. Performances. brown.. 6 by Sweetmeat, out of Juanita Perez, by never appeared Melbourne .... A. 1........ .... bay brown.. .... bay Blair Athol Blarney .... .... chesnut chesnut brown ....bay ..... Blithfield .... bay ... .... Broomielaw... bay .... Bucephalus 13 by The Flying Dutchman, out of Urania, by started 48, won 14 won Chesterfield Plate. Idle Boy 16 by Melbourne, out of Fausta, by Dr. Faustus started 6, won 0 6 by Idle Boy, out of Miss Julia, by Don John never appeared 15 by Touchstone, out of Jeanette, by Birdcatcher started 21, won 10 by Stockwell, out of Teetotum, by Touchstone started 12, won 10 by Touchstone, out of Lady Harriet, by The started 42, won Merry Monarch 16 by Bay Middleton, out of Empress, by Emilius started 5, won 3 won the New Stakes.... 7 by Claret, out of Mona, by Polish or Mickey Free started 11, won 3 won £1,340 (h) Newmkt.juntried. 7 by Weatherbit, out of Augusta, by Birdcatcher started 14, won 6 won £200 (h.), Stockton untried. 11 by Barnton, out of Bassishaw, by The Prime started 31, won Warden 7 by Stockwell, out of Blink Bonnie, by Melbourne started 6, won Gladiator 6 by Stockwell, out of Blink Bonny, by Melbourne started 24, won by Discord orCrozier,out of Helena, by Turcoman || Bubbles 1 Primrose Bennington, Stevenage Mr, W. Heath. East Barnet, Herts .... H. Smith 5 gs., h. b. 2 gs. 5 gs. 10 gs., h. b. 5 gs. 10 sovs., h.b. 5 sovs. 10 gs., h. b. 5 gs. 10 gs., h. b. 2 gs. 100 gs., full. 5 gs., h. b. 3 gs. 5 gs., h. b. 2 gs. 10 gs. 10 gs., h. b. 3 gs. Whitwell, Clitheroe ..R. Heseltine.... 10 gs. .... 20 gs. Mamhead, Exeter...... Mr. Beezley Blankney, Lincoln .... W. Bartholomew 10 gs., h. b. 5 gs. Hop Grove, York...... H. Prince...... Pamunkey...... Cawston, Rugby... Stud groom .... 12 by Voltigeur, out of The Countess of Burling-started 3, won ton, by Touchstone 9 by Kingston, out of Defenceless, by Defence.. started 9, won 10 by Rifleman, out of Comfit, by Sweetmeat started 14, won 9 by Stockwell, out of Selina, by Orlando started 3, won 7 by Newminster, out of Stolen Moments, by started 10, won Melbourne ... Cawood ...... bay .... 18 by The Cure, out of Brandy Snap, by Muley started 11, won Moloch Cellarius .... 9 14 by Fandango, out of Hybla, by The Provost started 27, won 6 by Orlando, out of Ayacanora, by 1.Birdcatcher started 1, won by Orlando, out of Industry, by Priam started 14, won ...... bay Chattanooga.... chesnut 7 by The Baron,out of Caledonia, by Bay Middleton never appeared... 7 by Duc an Dhurrus, dam by Sleight-of-Hand. 4 by The General, out of Cecilia, by WestAustra- never appeared... lian chesnut brown.. brown.. untried. .... 20 by Lanercost, dam by Tomboy .............. started 32, won 7 won Liverpool Cup_.... 33 Ardee, Ireland........ C. Campbell Claret.......... Clonmore ...... Colonel, The....bay Commotion .... ........ brown.. .... bay Costa bay.... Count, The ....bay .... Cramond Cranbury Crater ................... De Clare chesnut .... .... Defender....... bay .... Diophantus .... chesnut .... ... 11 by Andover, out of Haricot, by Man g or started 21, won Lanercost 7 1 won Zetland Biennial 7 by Surplice, out of Rosina, by The Emperor.. started 48, won 15 won £225 (h.), Worcstr. untried. 10 by Orlando, out of Equation, by Emilius started 10, won 4 by Trumpeter, out of Miss Bowser, by Hesperus started 1, won 0 10 by Wild Dayrell, out of Circassian Maid, by started 39, won 8 won £106 at Reading untried. juntried. 8 by Sprig of Shellelagh, out of Fly, by Iago ..started 35, won 8 won £380 (h) at York.. 6 by Stockwell, out of Bay Celia, by Orlando started 26, won 18 won Goodwood Cup.... untried. 7 by Lambton, out of Lady Louisa,by Touchstones tarted 39, won 14 won £445 at Stockbridge untried. 10 by Lord of the Isles, out of Marmalade, by started 8, won 6 Second for the Derby Sweetmeat 18 by Pantaloon, out of Decoy, by Filho da Puta..never appeared 11 by The Flying Dutchman, out of Black-eyed started 67, won 14 won Granby Handicap.. untried. 7 by Kingston, out of The Bloomer, by Melbourne started 30, won 19 won Ascot Cup........untried. Dundee.. Ely .... .... .... .... .... ... Kilminchy, Maryboro' Stud Farm, Enfield .. Mr. H. Good child 15 gs. .... h. b. 3 gs. 5 gs., 5 gs., h. b. 24 gs. Moorland's Std Frm, Yk. Mr. Huby Highfield, St. Albans 5 gs., h. b. 2 gs. Stud groom .......... 30 gs. Mamhead, Exeter.... Mr. Beezley Leggan Hall, Ireland.. Hampton Court Mr. Scott .... Clumber, Worksop.... Mr. W. Scott Hurstbourne, Whitchrch Mr. R. Milton |