HAIRLESS DOG. Races of dogs whose skins are almost completely devoid of hair have been known since ancient times, and in widely sep arated parts of the world. The Chinese have a variety which they cook and eat as a delicacy. This Oriental hairless dog is of a small grey hound-terrier type, mostly entirely destitute of hair. One variety has a few straggling hairs on the body and a tuft at the tip of the tail. In East India the mountaineers of Coimbaton use a dog they call the `polygar' in the chase of the bear and wild boar, which is wholly destitute of hair. 'It is fierce and unmanageable except by its keeper, and in this respect differs from all other known hairless dogs. In Central Africa there is a naked dog of greyhound type, about 14 inches tall and with a slender body about 22 inches long, and much retracted in the flanks. A few hairs are found near its tail, around the mouth, and on the legs. Its skin is black. Reng ger gives reasons for believing that when America was discovered by Europeans a hairless dog was domesticated. which was distinct from the hair less dog found preserved in the ancient Peruvian burial-places, described by Tschudi under the name of 'Inca dog.' Other hairless dogs exist
in the Philippine Islands, the Antilles, and the Bahamas. A large naked dog is figured by Cla vigero as one of the indigenous animals of ancient Mexico. In the native language it was called by a name translated into 'servant dog.' The small edible dogs of the Mexicans, which the Spaniards spoke of as 'very tender and delicate food,' un doubtedly were the puppies of this breed. Their Indian equivalent title was 'sucker,' because, doubtless, they were taken from their mother to be eaten before they had ceased to nurse.
Hairless dogs, called 'Mexican hairless,' are often shown in the pet-dog classes at the dog shows. They are very like shaved black and tan terriers, but lack the keen eye of that dog. They are mostly of a blue or brownish color, entirely devoid of hair except a few straggling single ones here and there on the body and tail, and some times a small tuft on the head. The skin, as a rule, is wrinkled, and generally harsh to the touch.