Bccisioii nf fhr Coyok'S. 



23 



legs, and distal half of the under side of the tail are some shade 

 of fulvous. The ground color of the back also varies from buff, 

 or even buify-white in the desert forms, to dull fulvous in the 

 animal from southern Mexico, and the abundance of black- 

 tipped hairs is usually proportionate to the intensity of the 

 ground color. The up})er side of the tail is like the back, and 

 about one-third the distance from root to tip it is marked by an 

 elongated black spot. The tip is always black, although it some- 

 times contains a tuft of white hairs, most often present in C. 

 ochropiis. The males are decidedly larger than the females. 



Compared with the large Wolves, the Coyotes are slender, lithe, 

 and graceful.-'' The}' are swift of foot, and in ordinary seasons 

 feed chiefly on rabbits, both jackrabbits and cottontails, but 

 they also catch ground squirrels and other small mammals, 

 snakes, lizards, birds, and insects, and when put to it by hunger 

 do not hesitate to eat carrion. They are also fond of fruit. 



Unless the contrar}^ is stated, all of the measurements in the 

 present paper were taken ' in the flesh ' by the collector. All are 

 in millimeters. 



Descriptions of Species. 



Caiiis latrans Say. 

 Canis latrans Say, Long's Expedition to Rocky INIountains, I, 168, 1823. 



Type locality. — Council Bluft's, Iowa. 



Characters.— Size largest of the Coyotes ; coloration rather pale ; pre- 

 molar and carnassial teeth very large and greatly swollen. 



Color. — Muzzle dull and rather pale fulvous, finely sprinkled with gray 

 hairs (chiefly above) and with black hairs (chiefly on cheeks) ; top of 

 head from front of eyes to ears grizzled gray, the pale fulvous zone of 

 under fur showing througli, but the gray predominating; ears deep rich 

 fulvous, sparingly sprinkled with black hairs; upper parts from ears to 

 tail coarsely mixed huffy gray and black ; under parts and up{)er lip 

 whitish ; long hairs of throat sparingly tipped with blackish, giving the 

 broad collar a grizzled appearance; fore legs and feet dirty whitish, be- 

 coming dull clay color on outer side of leg ; hind legs and feet dull fulvous 

 on outer side, white on inner side and on dorsal surface of feet, the 

 change from fulvous to white rather abrupt; tail narrowly tipped with 

 black; its under side whitish basally, becoming pale fulvous on distal 

 half and tipped and edged with black. 



* It is hoped that no one will be misled, either as to the form or coloring 

 of the Coyotes, by the gross caricature bearing their name in Mivart's re- 

 cent ' Monograph of the Cauidte.' 



