200 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1896. 



sometimes courses over the balsam belt of Roan Mountain when 

 pursued by dogs, but does not reside at so great an altitude. 



Genus VULPES Baird. 



38. Vulpes pensylvanicus (Bodd.). American Red Fox. 



Always numerous in the mountains, the Red Fox has spread with 

 the increasing population into West Tennessee, where it was un- 

 known to the early pioneers. The same conditions are true of the 

 Central Basin and of Middle Kentucky. 



Mr. Miles calls jt common in his locality now, though it was intro- 

 duced or migrated thither only forty years ago. 



Genus CANIS Linnfeus. 



39. Canis lupus nubilus (Say). American Wolf. 



In 1887 Dr. Merriara found the wolf still existing in the Smoky 

 Mountains. One was seen during the winter, about the year 1883, 

 near Cloudland Hotel. A few may yet exist in the southern 

 Alleghenies, but they are exceedingly rare. 



In Middle Tennessee they seem to be extinct. Their status in the 

 lowlands of West Tennessee may be gathered from the following 

 quotations from letters sent me by Mr. Miles, the first of which was 

 the result of a publication as to the S{)ecific identity of black and gray 

 wolves made in Forest and Stream for August 81, 1895: "Since 

 the article for Forest and Stream was written Major Shaw, an old 

 hunter of this County, tells me that many years since he captured a 

 a litter of seven wolf whelps, three of which were gray and four 

 black. * * * Our present wolf is larger and very much fiercer 

 than those of my childhood, at least those specimens were which 

 came under my observation. I suppose our present big gray 

 wolf has always been here and some favorable circumstance must 

 have developed his numbers." In a more recent note Mr. Miles 

 announces the killing of two wolves by poison about the 10th of 

 December, 1895, within seven miles of Brownsville, "by a man who 

 had killed hogs and heard the wolves howling near, when he put 

 out poison with the above result." 



Summing up the case for Lauderdale County, Mr. Miles says the 

 " Large Gray " is " common " (!) ; the " Small Black " is " rare " 

 and the "Yellow Medium, very rare." 



