The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-04-14
DINGO OR WILD DOG
The Fairest, Ksenest and Meanest of
Canine Kind.
GOOD DINGOs ARE THE DEAD
So the Australians Think-If This
Was the Original Type IL Is
No Wonder the Dog Got
Bad Name.

Copyrighted. 1896. by Bachelor. johnson
& Bacheller)
Anyone visiting a Kennel club show
cannot fail to notice the widely differ
ing varieties of dogs. In one class are
the muscular mastiffs: in another the
slender greyhounds. Here is dignity
personfied in the beautiful St Ber-
nard and "impudence"-on the jump
in the ugly little pug. Here is grace in
the dainty Italian greyhound and awk-
wardness in that canine burlesque
called a dachshund. Then there are
collies and terriers of assorted sizes
and colors-to say nothing of the many
varieties of settlers and hounds. Yet
these quadrupeds-less alike In exter-
nails than a cat and a squirrel, or
garter snake and a pipe fish-are all
dogs!
The question which naturally arises
Is: What was the original type? The
various replies to this question might
all be summed up in that well known
answer Of the darby in the freight de-
pot. when he said, in reference to the
destination of a pup which had been
left behind. II d'n'know, an he d'n'-
know. an nobody knows; an he's ate
up his tag!"
But even IL we cannot picture the
first canine ancestor, we can easily de-
eide which are the earliest types now
most primitive is the dingo, or wild
dog, of Australia. On that great ISL
and continent there is not another ma
tive canine. Nearly every four-footed
mother in that land of the southern
sea carries her babies in her pocket.
But mamma dingo does not follow this
prevailing fashion which the kanga-
roos and their cousins have set for
ages; and papa dingo does not asso-
ciate upon friendly terms with "old
. man" kangaroo. Yet the dingo is clear
1y the ruler among the four-footed peo-
pie of the brush-so much so that the
native Australian considers him the
king of the beasts.
These wild dogs sometimes run in
packs, but more often prowl about in
pairs; and literally they are pretty
pair Of rogues," for every dingo is
good looking and bad acting He is
about two feet high and finely proper
TONED, with tail as handsome as the
brush so proudly worn by our familiar
friend, Reynard The tip of the dingo's
tail is usually white. and the rest of
his body tawny or reddish, but lighter
upon the breast and belly. He stands
firm and strong upon his we'll built
legs; so, take him all together Canine
Dingo Is a handsome fellow. But he IL
far from beautiful in behavior. He
howls and prowls like wolf, he
sneaks ana steals like fox and has
all the mean habits of sheep-killing
dog He never barks, but you really
ought to hear him howl! Once is
enough. Even the bushmen-sound
sleepers as they are-awake at his
blood-curdling cry.
The dingos breed in the malice scrub.
They live upon marsupials-and spring
lambs until the bushmen arise in their
might and kin as many of them as pos
sible. Nearly every province in Aus
tralia offers a reward for their heads.
As high as e2 a head has been paid:
which certainly proves that the Aus
tralians think that the only good dingo
is a dead dingo.
Dora K. w. Spratt