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Extract from Blyth letter of Sept 22' 1855 (6)

Blackwood Magazine 1850 or 1851 vol 70 p. 675 on dog-like Habits of N. American wolves; B. thinks there are different species of wolves in America— Refers me to "Forest life & Forest Trees by John S. Springing or Springis or Springer; Sampson, Low, published"

It is this work which is reviewed by in Blackwood

Says in Stokes voyage an account of an Australian who cd always point the direction of home in Ship.

Bewicks white woodcock returning to same spot N.B. one tame black & white water wagtail.— Cuckoo & Swift disappear at same time when food most abundant.

Refers to occasional migration of Rats.—

Chiff-chaff & willow wren invariably line with feathers; wood wren never. (N.B this bears on Taylor bird using threads, it shows instinct descends even to smallest detail.)

Think line nest with mud (but not blackbird) did I not find Chilian thrush doing so?—

Strahlenberg? says Beavers in Siberia do make dams like American Beavers — Austrian European has park on Danube

When Beaver preserved preserved, & when have these same habits as American.—

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Refers to cases of animals instinctively knowing the manner of attack of an enemy, as cats Rats defending throat from ferret.— White of Selbourne has described chicken pecking flies at window when first born squatting of young birds — Behavior of opossum, described by Audubon, paralleled by Jackal, attacked worried by dogs in India who sham death, & then spring off & is off — young megapodius & Talegalla, independent from first commencement of life like insects. No teaching required to show Dormouse or squirrel or nut-hatch to break open a nut — Turkey swallow for gizzard to break open.—

Says cattle much frightened at 1st Train, but is some of the accustomed animals are left, new cattle added these perceive no danger & are not frightened (so cry of one species warn other species)— With respect to shamming death, it wd be more correct to say that they instinctively assume that position which will best escape evil danger, hence squatting &c come under same category—

Pritchard (I must read) — "Westgarth's Australia" confutes Streszlecki's theory of sterile crosses.—

Remarks that in America no marked race of cattle has originated by Niãti Ox & Ancon sheep.

Says nobody thinks humped ox same species I ears pointed.

— thinks Camels has run wild in Canary Isd account of African expedition render Commr Allen 

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Mr Blyth makes a great distinction between "Breeds" artificially made & "Races". why I know not.—'

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Refers to Huc. account of the rare 2-humped camel, coinhabiting with Rein-Deer — hybrids from with Austrian camels are 1 humped.— saw in Zoolog Soc' a new born one produced by the Hybrid race. Vide Burckhardt? & Hutton in As. Soc. Bengal vol XI p. 1182

Doubts whether fowl has ever run wild.— nor Fancy Pigeons.

Guinea fowls & Peacocks said to have run wild in Sylhet.—

Camels in Africa according to Denham & Clapperton or Lander vary in colour like Alpacas, which Blyth is evidently surprised at.—

Cattle of Falklands breaking into 2 colours

Believes black-skinned fowls are found all over East, but has never seen

— Croll thus characterized, nor Layard in Ceylon. Annal & Mag. N. Hist.

With respect to the "Creole pullets" in Prichard, thinks that they had when burn down, but that this was not succeeded by usual short clattering of feathers except on wing & tail so that they look plucked whilst following their mother as is very common the case here— Thinks this explains Prichards fact, & that fowls were introduced from Philippines or the East.—

Blyth believes says that skulls of wild Boars vary so much in different countries, & that there are so many species, as Blyth believes.— thinks the one figured by Prichard as Indian, & that by Cuvier in Ossemens Fossiles is French Domestic (certainly if pigs are distinct species, these must be perfect fertility) Says in Zoolo Tells me to ask Gray about

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the many wild Hogs & refers me to the various skulls figured by S. Müller & Temminck. — says tame Indian Pigs very like wild Indian.— Cape Verd Pig of Trinidad the wild Phaecoctheris— Chinese pig certainly distinct species.

Says as Hogs are so prolific that they wd probably cross but Gartner has shown no relation between production of many seeds & power of crossing.—

In the Indian Humped cow, has been milked from remote antiquity, yet calf must be held always to her, & if calf dies milk ceases, so different from European & like feral of America. N.B. I had better put case whether our domestic animals descended from several wild & different stocks, disregarding whether called species or vars.

In the Jumna Pari? goat mammæ more developed than in any other breed, ears 16 inches long; is the same as Syrian goat with very long limbs.— The small Bengal bred of goat generally produces twice a year & often 4 kids at birth.—

p. 42 Prichard the Spanish Ship of Prichard is not this the Stripes…… ? or certain sheep of Belong?

p. 42 Blyth has seen hairy sheep in Madras, but none near Calcutta; the sheep near latter place are have coarse wool, & long tail, often deformed; & ears often have twist twist & are sub-pendent; brown or black colour prevails; many hornless; small sized animals. In the Malay countries & less East side of Bay of Bengal, few kept on account of Leeches

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In "Moores? "Notes on the Indian Archipelago" excellent notices on Ponys of archipelago; in India House Library.

p 58 Prichard, the Iceland Dog is very like Chinese Dog

Blyth distinguishes Races, from Breeds artificially produced… Why?—

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