Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 2.djvu/438

 MAMMALA.] NATURAL moR�. 'le considering this .species as distinct from the e6mmon dog, I am supported by the'opinion of Mr. Wfiliam Mac Leay. (See Linn. Trans. xiii.) ' (aptain King'informs me that tlese dogs never bark, in qwhich particular they agree with the Linnean account of the-American d0g that, in their appearance and cunning disposition, they resemble the fox; and although occasion- ally domesticated in New South Wales, 'they never lose the ely habits peculiar to their' breed, nor can be prevented from killing poultry or biting sheep. This dog, however, seems to be quite a 'distinct species from that found in the South Sea Islands, which Forster describes 'as being "of a ingular race: th.ey mosdy re- semble the common cur, but have prodigious large heads, .remarkably little eyes, prick ears, long hair, a. nd n short bushy tail. They are chiefly fed with fruit at the Society Isles; but in the Low fsles and New Zealand, where they are the only domestic animals, they llve upon fish. ney are exceedingly stupid, and seldom or never bar, only howl now and then."--FotsT..'s Observations, p. 189. $. O?AntA ClWSltSA, Pron et Lesueur, trd. ij. ?5. The head of a species, agreeing with the short description of Pron, was brought home by the expedition,.but that it is the one intended by these authors, there is great room to doubt. ! am informed that specimens of Pron's .animal are in the Paris Museum, but Destanrest and Frederic Cuvier, who have both lately written upon seals, have only copied the very short specific character given by Prono The head of ur specimen is gray, covered with rather short, rigid, hairs, mid without any woolly fur. 'The ears are short,' conical. It is very disnct from the Otar/a Fa//dandica Of

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