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dies caiiiculares, canicular days, or dog-days. The Egyptiansarid Ethiopians began their year at the rising ot' the canicula,reckoning to its rise again the next year, which is called theannus canaries, or canicular year. The reason of their choiceof the canicula before the other stars to compute their time bv,was not only the" superior brightness of that star, but becauseits heliacal rising was in Egypt a time of singular note, asfulling on the greatest augmentation of the Nile . Ephestionadds, that from the aspect and colour of canicula, the Egyytiansdrew prognostics concerning the rise of the Nile ; and, accord-ing to Floras, predicted the future state of the year ; so thatthe first ruing of this star was annually observed with great at-tention.

CANIGAT7, the highest peak of the Pyrenean mountains.It is said to be 144-0 fathoms, 6r 8640 feet high.

CANINA, a district in the N. of Turkey, pari of Albania ,the ancient Epirus. Also the capital of the district.

CANINE APPETITE. See Bulimy.

CAN IN US MUSCULUS, the same as levator labii supe-rioris. S-e Anatomy.

CANTS, the dog, in zoology, a genus of mammalia, of theorder ferae Six upper foreteeth ; lateral ones longer, distant ;the intermediate ones lobate; in the lower jaw six, lateral onesiobated ; tusks solitary and incurvated ; grinders six or seven, ormore than in other genera of this order. In the savage state otthe dog, his irritable and ferocious character renders liim a dan-gerous enemy to other animals, lmt when domesticated, his grandobject appears to be to please his employers, and to convert totheir service his courage, his swiftness, and ail his striking and va-luable instincts. lie is extremely docile, and accommodates him-self to the manners and habits of those with whom lie lives, with afacility which furnishes an admirable lesson. His vigilance overwhatever is committed to his charge is connected with a couragein defence of it, arising even to rage. IIis suspicions are perpe-tually aiive: his inferences, with respect to the just grounds ofapprehension, are astonishingly judicious and correct. Thereare twenty-one species, several of which, particularly the C. fami-liaris, include numerous varieties. The

C: Familiaris, or tile familiar dog, of which the variety knownby tlie name of the siiepherd’s dog is imagined to approach mostpearly to the original animal. It keeps the flock collected, anddefends it from injury. In the Alps, and some other regions ofEurope , it is considerably larger and stronger than in England,bee Plate 40.

Another varielv is the Dingo. or Australasian, or NewHolland dog. (Plate 40.) This dog does not bark so readilyas the European dogs : its appearance much resembles the larger* kind of the shepherd’s dog, and it is extremely tierce and untrac-

table.

The Pomeranian Dog, another variety, is generally while,and is distinguished, among several characteristics, by tlie curva-ture of its tail, extending very nearly to a circle. Plate 40.

A fourtli variety is tlie Siberian. These dogs ar.e frequentlyemployed' in Siberia and Kamtschatka , in drawing sledges on thefrozen sqow, and four or six of them yoked to a sledge will con-vey three persons, with the usual quantity of baggage, forty milesor more in a day. The exertions of these dogs, however, aremore to he praised than their fidelity or attachment. Their per-• terseness and subtlety are a source of great vexation to their em-ployers, who, however, notwithstanding the malignity and cun-ning they are thus so incessantly called upon to counteract, findthese animals indispensable to the convenience and intercourse ofth‘:se arctic regions.

The Blood-Hound, is a very large dog, and was some agessince, highly esteemed in England, and' much employed in thepursuit of robbers. The acuteness of its smell is so extraordinary,that, it has traced a man to the distance of seven miles, along amuch frequented highway, and through several market towns, tothe very upper room ill which he was taking refreshment.

The Irish Greyhound. is supposed to lie the largest of all thedog kind, as well as the- most beautiful and majestic in its appear-ance. It is only to be found in Ireland , and even there is be-come extremely rare.

The Common Greyhound is remarkable for the slendernessof its shape, the length of its snout, and the extreme- swiftness of

its course. The greyhound wants the faculty of quick scent, amifollows his prey merely by tlie eye.

The Italian Greyhound is a small and beautiful variety ofthe former. See Plate 40.

Tlie Newfoundland Dog is of a very large size, and fromits strength and docility, is one of those which are best c. leuiatedfor the security of a house. This animal is remarkably fond ofplunging into the water. See Plate 40.

The Mastiff, another variety, is of a very strong and thickstructure, with a large head, and the sides of the lips pendulous,in tlie reign of James I. a trial of its vigour and courage was madein tlie'Power of London , and three mastitis being opposed to alion, two were mutilated and disabled, but the third obliged thelion to have recourse to flight. See Plate 40.

'l'he Terrier, another variety, is much employed in unearth-ing foxes, and lo ail (hose quadrupeds, which are comprehendedin tlie class of vermin, bears tlie strongest antipathy. A well-trained ■ terrier is frequently found an over-match even for tliefierce and hardy badger. This dog is extremely useful as an at-tendant on every pack of hounds, to compel tlie game from itsclose cover of earth or thicket. This species is fond of tlie societyof man, has rarely been found wild ; feeds on flesh and farina-ceous vegetables, lint not on greens; vomits itself by grass; runsin an oblique direction ; very rarely sweats, but lolls out itslongue when hot. It is extremely docile, affectionate, and vigi-lant in its intercourse with man ; it eats with a glancing and en-vious eye ; lias a great aversion to strangers, and particularly tobeggars ; licks wounds; hears and dreams in its sleep, sets up ahowl on heariug musical sounds, and bites stones thrown at it; itpossesses a most acute sense of smell ; is liable to gonorrhoea; issubject also to madness, which it imparts by biting, and in oldage is addicted to gnawing itself.

C. Aureus, or Jackal , lias yellowish brown irides; ears erect,formed like those of a fox, but shorter and less pointed; headshorter than that of a fox, ami nose blunter ; lips black, and some-what loose; neck and body very much resembling those of thatanimal, but the body more compressed; five toes on the forefeet; tlie inner toe very short, and placed high ; tour toes on diehind feet; all covered with hair even to the claws. 'Pile hairsare much stiller than those of a fox, but scarcely so stiff as thoseof -a wolf. See Pl.,te 40. 'Phis species' inhabits all the hot andtemperate parts of Asia, India, Persia, Arabia , Great Tartary,and about Mount Caucasus, Syria , and the Holy Land, lt’isfound hi most parts of Africa, from Ilarbary lo tlie Cape of GoodHope . Professor Gueldenstaedt, remarks, that the cacum en-tirely agrees in form with that of a dog, ami differs from that ofthe wolf and fox. And Mr. Pennant observes, that there is diesame agreement ill the teeth with those of a dog ; and tlie samevariation in them from those of tlie two other animals. Thesecircumstances strengthen the opinion entertained by some writers,that the dogs of the old world derived their origin from one oroilier of them. The jackals have indeed so much the nature ofdogs, as to give reasonable cause to imagine that they are at leastthe chief stock from which is sprung the various races of thosedomestic animals. When taken young, they grow instantly tame ;attach themselves to mankind ; wag their tails ; love to lie stroked ;distinguish their masters from others; will come on being calledby tiie name given to them ; will leap on tlie tabic, being encou-raged to it; they drink, lapping; and make water sideways, withtlieir leg held up. When they sre (logs, instead of flying, theyseek them, and play with them. They wilt vat bread eagerly;notwithstanding they are in a wild state carnivorous. They de-stroy docks and poultry, but in a less degree than tlie wolf or fox ;ravage tlie streets of villages and gardens near towns, and willevendestroy children, if left unprotected. They will enter sta-bles and outhouses, and devour skins, or any thing-made of thatmaterial. They will familiarly enter a tent, and steal whatsoeverthey can find from the sleeping traveller. In defect of livingprey, they will feed on roots and fruits; and even on tlie most in-fected carriou; they will greedily disinter tlie dead, and devourtlie putrid carcases; for which reason, in many countries tlie gravesare made a great depth. They attend caravans, and follow ar-mies, .in hopes that death will provide them a banquet. Tlieirvoice naturally is a howl. Jackals frequently assemble in largodroves or troops, even so nuiuuous as two hundred, and hunt the

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