Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-05-24

In his second lecture on dogs at the
Royal Institution, In London. Professor
Huxley considered the problem OF the
origin Of the domestic dog. He thought
they could see their way to solving 1t II
they began upon a a solid basis OF TACT.
Such basis OF fact was supplied by
what they know of the origin OF dogs OF
North America. The Indians OF the
northwestern parts OF America were all
in possession OF half-tame cur-like dogs
living in the same way as dogs In Egypt
in a semi-independent condition. In
the same country there existed a wild
animal-the CAMS LdtraRs, or prairie
wolf. Ii was impossible TO point out
any distinction between the prairie
wolves and the domesticated dog OF the
Indians. 1t was difficult to understand
how these were tanned; and yet, when one
knew their habits, IL was easy enough.
The smaller wolves and jackals, although
predacious and fierce, were endowed
with a singular curiosity; that curiosity
directed them toward man and his
dOings. There was not one OF these AMI
mails which, ii caught young-whether
jackall or small wOlf-could not be tanned
and made as attached and devoted 70
man as any ordinary dog. 1t was not
difficult to understand, therefore, how
these animals became acquainted with
man, how they became trained, and
how from them sprang race OF domes-
ticated animals which, curiOusly enough,
we're far more attached to their masters
and the animals with which they were
brought up than TO the members oil
their own family. lfthey could depend
upon the fact that one domest C
dog originated in the tam
ing of an indigenous wild animal. then
the general problem of the origin OF do
nestle dogs would take this form
could they find in all parts OF the world
in which domestic dogs were known
wild stock SO similar to the existing
race OF dogs that there was nothing un.
natural in suppOsing that they had the
same origin as the Indian dog? They
might trace dOg-like animals farther
and farther west, until, in Northern
Africa they had a whole series Of kinds
of dog-like animals, usually known as
jackals. lie believed that these wild
stocks were the source from which, IN
each case, the savages who originally
began to tame dogs had derived the
stock. This view was confirmed by the
archaeological researches. They had
preserved to them, on the monuments
Of ancient Egypt, great variety of
forms OF dogs, and it was significant
that the further back they went the
fewer were the varieties, until, at the
time of the third and fourth dynasties-
that is, about 5000 years ago-there
were only two we'll known forms OF
dogs. One oi them was q comparatively
small cur-like dog, similar to that
which was To be seen in the streets OF
Cairo at the present day, and the other
was like greyhound. The cur was,
no doubt, a tame species OF the wild
jackal, which was still to he found in the
same country; and with respect tn the
greyhound, there was in Abyssinia a
very long-hesded dog, which was very
much of the same form as the grey
hound, and which, il could hardly be
doubted, was the source from which 1t
sprang. Assuming that there wasnO
doubt that the origin OF dogs could he
traced to these sources, the more modi-
fed forms Of the domestic animal were
simply the result OF the selected breed
ing, which had given rise to the same
modification in dogs as it had done in
the case of pigeons.