Page:Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal Vol 1.djvu/384

342 in Nepal reaches the length of five feet, inclusive of the tail ; and is upon the whole, the largest, though not the longest, species we hav e. It is peculiar to the lower region, where, also, three other species have their hahitat. Two more belong to the central region : and one only to the Kachar. One species is yellowish white all over : the rest are brown, more or less dark ; some having the chin and throat, or whole inferior surface, paled nearly to white. They differ in extent from 5 feet to ]i foot * and not much less considerably in bulk, for some of them exhibit an almost vermiform habit of body ; and others are as stoutly made as the badger.

The only domesticated species of dog found in any part of Nepal south of the Kachar is the common village dog, or chien de rue of the plains, usually known there by the name of the pariar, a prick-eared cur belonging to every body and nobody. The Parbattiahs however prize the creature, and render it useful in hunting deer and antelopes. It belongs to Cuvier's 2nd section.

The noble beast usually denominated the Nepal dog is found only in the Kachar, where alone in Nepal he can live. It was introduced into the Kachar from Tibet, in which region it is indigenous, and in various parts of which there are several varieties. That of Lassa is the finest, and is almost always black, with tan legs, and a false or 5th digit before and behind.

Landseer has excellently figured a male and female of this dog, which were taken from the residency and presented to the king of England. The mustang variety is rather smaller, of a bright red colour, with wall eyes ; and he wants the 5th digit behind. Even in the Kachar, this dog degenerates rapidly ; and he can no more bear the heats of the central region of Nepal than his country-fellows of the human race. This would seem to be the dog whose extraordinary powers, ages ago, surprised Alexander and his Grecians. It is found throughout Tibet. This dog is justly placed in Cuvier's 3rd section of the canince ; but he ought surely to be classed under the variety mastiff, not bull dog. His superior size, moderately truncated muzzle, long fur, sunken eye, perfectly pendant ears, and 5th claw on the hind foot (in the Lhassan animal at least) seem decisive of this point. The chief character of the skull consists in the great development of the longitudinal and transverse cristae. There is a species of wild dog peculiar to each of the three regions of Nepal. That of the lower region is the smallest and darkest : that of the central tract is of a