Observations tending to shew that the wolf, jackal, and dog, are all of the same species / By John Hunter.

  • John Hunter
Date:
1787]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations tending to shew that the wolf, jackal, and dog, are all of the same species / By John Hunter. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    6/22 page 254
    The times of uterine geflatlon being fHe' fame in alf the varieties of every fpecies of animals,- this circumflance becomes neceflary to determine a fpecies. The affinity between the Fox, Wolf, Jackal, and feveral Varieties of the Dog, in their external form and feveral of their properties, Is fo ffiiking, that they appear to be only varieties of the fame fpecies. The Fox would feem to be a greater remove from the Dog than either the Jackal or Wolf, at leafl: in difpo- fition, not being either fo foclable refpefting its own fpecies or man, but naturally a folltary animal; from all which I fhould fufpeft it Is only allied to the Dog by being of the fame genus. It is confidently aflerted by many, that the Fox breeds with the Dog, but this has not been accurately afcertalned; but, if it bad, it would probably have been carried further, and once breeding, according to what we have faid,^ does not conftitute a fpecies; this, however, is a part I mean to inveftigate. Wolves and Jackals are found in herds; and the Jackal is fo little afraid of the human fpecies, that, like a Dog, It comes into houfes in fearch of food, more like a variety of the Dog in confequence of cultivation than chance. It is by much the moft familiar of the two; for we ffiall find hereafter, that In its readinefs to copulate with the Dog, and its familiarity with the Dog afterwards, it is fomewhat different from the Wolf. TiTe Wolf then being an animal better known in Europe, where inquiries of this kind are made, fome pains has been taken to afeertain, whether or not It was of the fame fpecies with the dog ; but, I believe, it has been hitherto confidered as only belonging to the ffme genus. Accident often does as much for natural hlftory as preme- ditated plans, efpecially when nature is left to itfelf. The iirff inffance of the Dog and Wolf breeding in this country feoms
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