Darwin-L Message Log 5:196 (January 1994)

Academic Discussion on the History and Theory of the Historical Sciences

This is one message from the Archives of Darwin-L (1993–1997), a professional discussion group on the history and theory of the historical sciences.

Note: Additional publications on evolution and the historical sciences by the Darwin-L list owner are available on SSRN.

---

<5:196>From princeh@husc.harvard.edu  Fri Jan 28 09:31:28 1994

Date: Fri, 28 Jan 1994 10:23:35 -0500 (EST)
From: Patricia Princehouse <princeh@husc.harvard.edu>
Subject: Re: Adaptation/Buffon
To: darwin-l@ukanaix.cc.ukans.edu

On Fri, 28 Jan 1994, Ferraguti Biodip wrote:

> Ansewring to a request by Ron Amundson some days ago about the
> concept of "adaptation" before 1800. I think that the work Buffon
> did on the subect mus be taken into account. In the section enti-
> tled "De da degeneration des animaux"
>
> "Aussi le chien, sur lequel la nourriture ne paroit avoir que
> de legers influences, est neammoins celui de touls les animaux
> carnassiers dont l'espece est plus variee; il semble suivre
> exactement dans ses degradations les differences du climat; il
> est nu dans les pays les plus chauds,

	I've recently been translating Linnaeus' _Cynographia_ (1753) and
thought it might be of interest that (in accord with the Buffon here) he
lists the hairless breeds as coming from warm climates, calling the
variety _Canis Aegyptius_ and indicates that it has skin "black like the
moors". I think surely this came from literature prior, perhaps Ray.
Maybe Amundson is already aware of this.

Patricia Princehouse
Dept Paleontology, MCZ
Harvard
Princeh@husc.harvard.edu

---

Your Amazon purchases help support this website. Thank you!