This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1804 edition. Excerpt: ...a mere variety of the common dog is much more uncertain. I rather suspect it was not. We are not, indeed, permitted to decide this matter with certainty. One essential difference between the two animals we are able to collect. The Mexican dog is said to have six teats, whereas the common dog has ten. Buffon, ...
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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1804 edition. Excerpt: ...a mere variety of the common dog is much more uncertain. I rather suspect it was not. We are not, indeed, permitted to decide this matter with certainty. One essential difference between the two animals we are able to collect. The Mexican dog is said to have six teats, whereas the common dog has ten. Buffon, Pennant, and Gmelin, have confounded this animal with the alco. Hernandez, however, plainly speaks of them as two distinct animalsf, as does also the Abbe ClavigeroJ. It is probable, however, that they were considerably allied to each other. t Historix Animalium, &c. Liber Unicus. p. 7. J The History of Mexico. Vol. ii. p. 282, and p. 333. Either this species or the Techichi, perhaps both, were brought to the market of the city of Mexico, along with deer, rabbits, and many other animals, before the conquest of the Spaniards. Gage says these animals were sold either " by quarters or whole." It would appear from the same writer, that these dogs were sometimes castrated for food. These simple facts are calculated, with many others, to show, that the Mexicans, at the time they were discovered, had actually advanced, in many respects, towards the attainment of that police, tho'se arts and practices, which are never observed among people in the savage forms of society. Another century, but for the discovery of Columbus, would have conducted these unfortunate Americans much nearer to the condition of their conquerors; but it is to be feared, that many centuries would have been requisite to have weaned them from their hideous religion, which was the foundation of their savage practices and manners. The history of mankind exhibits abundant proofs of this position, that the arts which they practise, and the police which they observe, are no certain...
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