No open-access location is known for this record yet.
No open-access location is known for this record yet.
npHE deer-kind whose horns arc a sort Of wood, and of a solid texture, although ru- minating, and internally formed like those whose horns arc hollow and porous, seem to form a separate family, in which the elk is the trunk, and therein-deer, stag, axis, fallow-deer, and roe-buck, are the lesser and collateral branches ; for there are only six species of ani- mals whose heads are armed with branched horns that fall off and are renewed every j'ear.Independently of this generic character, they resemble each other still more in formation and natural habitude ; we should, therefore, sooner expect mules from thestagor fallow-deer, join- ed with the rein-deer or the axis, than from a union of the stag with the cow Wc mio]jtbe still belter authorised to resrard all the different kinds of sheep and goats as composing but one-family, since ihey produce VOL.X. B together must not conclude thai it is impossible^for ray experiments were with captive animals ; and it is know n that in some species captivity alone is sufficient to extingnish desire, and tp give buffon's give tliem a repugnance to copulation, even viith their own kind ; consequently thej would ŝtill more refuse to unite with individuals of another species: but I am persuaded, that "when in a state of freedom, and deprived of his own female, the dog would unite with the wolf and fox, particularly if he had become wild, lost his domestic cast, and approached the manner andnaturalliabits of these animals.The fox and wolf, however, never unite, though they live in the same climate and country, but support their species pure and unmixed ; we must, therefore, suppose a more ancient de- generation than history has recorded, if they ever belonged to one species ; it was for this reason I asserted that the dog was an intermediate species between the fox and wolf; and his species is also common, since it can unite with both ; and if any thing could shew that they all three originally sprang from the same stock, it is this common affinity between the dog, the fox, and the wolf, and which seems to bring their species nearer than all the conformities in their fisrures and organization.To reduce the fox and wolf, therefore, into one species, we must return to a state of nature very ancient indeed; but in their present condition, we must look upon the NATURAL HISTORY. 5 the wolf and fox as the chief trunks in the irc- rtus of the five animals.The dog, the jackal, and the isatis, are only lateral branches placed betweeji the two first ; the jackal par- ticipates of t!ie dog and wolf, and the isatis of the jackal and fox.From a great number of testimonies it appears that the jackal and the dog engender easily together ; and it is ob- servable, from the description and history of the isatis, that it almost entirely resembles the fox in iU form and temperament, that they are equally found in cold countries, but that, at the same time, it inclines to the jackal in its dis])osition, continual barking, clamorous voice, and the habit of always going in packs.The shepherd's dog, which I have considered as the original stock of every other dog, is, at the same time, that which approaches nearest in figure to the fox.lie is of the same size, and, like the fox, he has erect ears, a pointed muzzle, and a strait trailing tail.Re also ap- proaches the fox in voice, sagacity, and in- stinct.The dog, therefore, may orirrinally Jiave been the issue of tlie fox, if not in a di- rect, at least in a collateral line.The doir, which Aristotle calls canis-lacomct/s, and which he affirms to have proceeded from an union of the fox and dog, might, possibly, be the buffon's deserts, whmcethej never sail v without sprctid- ing terror, and makins: great depredations.A single tiger issuing from the forest is sufficient to alarm a multitude of people, and oblige them to take up arms.What then would be tlie consequence if these sanguinary animals came in numbers, like wolves or jackals, to commit their depredations ?Nature has given this instinct to timid animals, but fortunately denied it to the bold tribes ; they go singly, and depend upon their courage and strength for their safety andsupj>ort.Aristotle observed, and justly remarked, that of all animals furnished with talons not any of them are sociable, or go together in troops.*This ob-- gervation, which was then confined to four or live species only, being all that were known ill his time, is extended and verified over ten.or twelve other sp(*c!es since discovered.Other carnivorous animals, such as the wolf, the fox^the dog, the jackal, and the isatis, whose claws are straight, go mostly in , lallow-dccr, and roc-bucks, are found in all the prv)vinces of North America. 3,The digitated carnivorous animals with fixed claws ; for ihe wolf and (ok.are found in the New World ns well as in the Old. 4. The digitaied animals with long bodies, as the weasel, martin, and pole-cat, are met with in America as well as in Europe.5. \yc find also m America, partof the digi- tated genus with two large inci.iveteeth in each jaw, as the squirrels, marmots, rats, &c.6.The 12 BUFFO n'S 6.The digitated amphibious genus, as the walrus, seal, beaver, and otter, exist in the North of the New Continent. 7. The winged genus exist also in America, as the bat and vampire.There remains, therefore, only eight genera, and five detached species, which are peculiar to the Old Continent.These eight genera are, 1 .The whole-hoofed, properly so called, for neitherthehorse, ass, zebra, nor mule, were met with in the New Continent.2. The small cloven-hoofed beasts with hollow horns ; for sheep, goats, gazelles, or antelopes existed in America.3. The family of hogs ; for the species of wild boar is not to be found in America ; and although the pecari, and its varieties, are related to this family, yet they differ in a sufficient number of remarkable cha- racters to justify their separation.4. It is the same with carnivorous animals with retractile claws ; we do not meet with either the panther, leopard, guepard, ounce, or serval, in America; and although the jaguar, couguar, oce- lot, and margai, seem to belong to this family, there is not one of these species of the New World found in the Old, nor one of the Old to be met with in the New. 5.The same reniark may be applied to the digitated quadrupeds NATURAL HISTORY.13 drupeds whose bodies are covered with prickles;for although the coendou and the urson ap- proach very nigh to this genus, nevertheless, these species are very different from those of the porcupine and hedge-hog. 6.The digi- tated carnivorous genus "with fixed claws, and a pouch under the tail; for the hyaena, civets, and the badger, do not exist in America.7. The four-lianded genus; for neither apes, baboons, monkeys, nor makis, have ever been seen in America.The sapajous, sagons, opossums, &c.although quadrumanous, yet they essentially differ from those of the Old Conti- nent.S. The digitated genus whose bodies are covered with scales ; for none of the scaly lizards are found in America, and the ant- eaters, to wliom they may be compared, arc covered with hair, and differ too much from the scaly lizards to be considered of the same family.Of the nine detached species, seven, namely, the elephant, rhinoceros, hippopotamus, giraffe, camel, lion, and tiger, are found only in the Old World ; and two, viz. the bear and mole, are common to both continents.If we, in tlie same manner, enumerate the animals which are peculiar to the New World, we shall find, that there are about fifteen dif- ferent 14 buffon's fcrent species which may be reduced to ten genera and four detached species.These four species are the tapir, tlie cabiai, the lama, and the pecari ; but there is ouly the tapir we can absolutely term detached; for the pecari has varieties ; and the pacos may be united to the lama, and the Guinea hog to the cabiai.The ten genera are, 1.Eight ] ecies of sapajous.2. Six species of sagoii)s.3. The opossums, phalangers, tarsiers, &c. 4. The jaguars, coii- guars, ocelots, raargais, &c. 5. Three or four species of coatis.6.Four or five species of mouffetles.7. The agouti genus, which com- prehends the acouchi, the paca, the aperea, and the tapeti.8.That of the armadillos, which consists of seven or eight species.9.Two or three species of ant-eaters; and,ICthly, The sloth, of which we are acquainted with but two species.Now these ten genera, and four detached species, to which the fifty species of animals peculiar to the New World may be reduced, though they differ from those of the Old Con- tinent, nevertheless have some relations which seem to indicate some common afiinity in their formation, and lead us to causes of degenera- tion, more ancient than any of the rest.We have already made the general remark, that all animals the New World, three, namely, the tapir, the cabiai, and the lama, with the pacos, appear to belong originally to this continent, whereas the pecari, which forms the fourth, seems to be only a degenerated species of the hog, and to have formerly derived its origin from the Old Continent.By examining and comparing, in the same manner, the ten genera, to which we have reduced the other animals peculiar to South America, we shall discover, not only singular relations in their nature, but marks of their ancient origin and degeneration.The sapajous and sagoins bear so great a resemblance to the monkeys, that they are commonly included under that name.We have proved, however, tliat their species, and even their genera, are different.Besides, it would be very difficult to conceive how the monkeys of the Old Con- tinent could assume in America a difierent- shaped visage, a long, muscular, and prehensile tail, a large partition between
Loading…
Imported from OpenAlex (CC0) — nothing here is generated.