in his own country he is called _michuacanens_, from the name of his country. The third, which also resembles our little dogs, is called _techichi_, but his look is dull and savage. The Americans eat his flesh." From comparing the testimonies of Fabri and Fernandes, it is clear that the second dog the last author calls _michuacanens_, is the same as the _ytzcuinte portzotli_, and that this species of animal existed in America before the arrival of the Europeans; and it must have been the same with the _techichi_. I am therefore persuaded that this word _alco_ was a generic name, which equally applied to both, and perhaps to more races or varieties which still remain unknown to us. But with respect to the first, Fernandes seems to be deceived both with regard to the name and subject. No author has spoken of any naked dogs in New Spain. This race, commonly called _Turkish dogs_, comes from the Indies, and other warm climates of the Old Continent; and it is probable that those which Fernandes saw in America, were transported thither, especially as he expressly mentions that he had seen this species in Spain, before his departure for America. What further proves it to be so is, that this animal had no American name, and Fernandes, in order to give it one, borrowed that of _xoloitzcuintli_, which is the name of the Mexican wolf. Thus of three species or varieties of American dogs, there only remain two, which are indiscriminately called by the name of _alco_; for independently of the fat alco, which served as a lap dog for the Peruvian ladies, there was a lean and melancholy alco, used for the purpose of hunting, and it is not impossible that these animals, though very different to all appearance from that of our dogs, nevertheless spring from the same stock. The Lapland, Siberian, and Iceland dogs, may, like the wolves and foxes, have passed from one continent to the other, and afterwards degenerated by the influence of climate and a domestic state. The first alco, with a short neck, approaches the Iceland dog; and the techichi of New Spain, is probably the same animal as the koupara, or crab-dog of Guiana, which resembles the fox in its shape and the jackal in its hair. He is denominated the crab-dog, because he principally feeds upon crabs and other crustaceous animals. I have only seen a skin of one of these Guiana animals, and I am unable to decide whether it be a particular species, or whether it be related to those of the dog, fox, or jackal. 15. THE TAYRA; OR GALERA.