106 U. Ss. P. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS—ZOOLOGY—GENERAL REPORT. 
the comparative shortness and compactness of the fur. The more usual variety of color, per- 
haps, is the gray, which is found all over North America to the Arctic regions, the others being 
more local in their distribution. 
The giant wolf of Townsend, as shown by the skull, is a wolf of enormous size, but whether 
it is more than a huge wolf of the old species, I do not venture to say. As shown by the table 
of measurements of skulls, however, it will be found surpassed in bulks by a Swedish specimen ~ 
received from the Academy of Sciences of Stockholm, who also sent other skulls, equally 
marked with a strong median crest, but of less size. Until, therefore, the accumulation of 
specimens, by furnishing better means of comparison and determination shall indicate other- 
wise, I prefer to consider all the specimens before me as one species. Assuming that this is 
distinct from the European wolf, (not yet proved,) I shall employ Dr. Richardson’s provisional 
name of Canis occidentalis for the species, and give the varieties as named by authors. 
I have before me no skins at all from the upper Missouri, and consequently.am unable to verify 
the description of Prince Maximilian, here subjoined to this article. A tolerably perfect speci- 
men from Oregon (1014) has a soft fur of considerable fullness ; the tail is bushy and large. 
The general color above is a yellowish gray, lightest on the back and shoulders. On the back 
and upper part of the sides is a considerable mixture of black points to the hairs; beneath, the 
colors are of a uniform yellowish gray, without any black on the chin or throat. The buccal 
membrane is black, but the hair around the mouth is whitish. There is very little black on 
the head ; the muzzle is pale rusty. The tail above, is like the back; beneath, like the belly, 
but more brownish towards the end; the extreme tip is dark brown, with a few whitish hairs 
interspersed, as is usual in the wolves and foxes. The inside of the legs resembles the belly in 
color, the outside is similar, with light brownish points to the hairs, producing a muddied ap- 
pearance. The anterior edge of the fore leg exhibits a slight indication of the usual wolf stripe. 
The ears are pale brownish yellow. 
In this specimen much the longest hair is anteriorly between the shoulders. A short dis- 
tance behind the shoulders, the dorsal hair is not much longer than on the sides. These hairs 
are about 43 inches long, white at the base, and then black, then white, and tipped again with 
black. 
No. 1012 is much the largest in the collection. It agrees essentially with the one just de- 
scribed, except that the ears are more dusky, and the alternation of grayish white and black 
more distinct. There is no black visible on the throat or chin, nor any mark on the fore leg, as 
in most wolves. 
No. 1011 is rather smaller than the preceding, and differs in the greater amount and inten- 
sity of the black on the ends of the hairs. In general appearance it presents a close resemblance 
to a specimen of Canis mexicanus of authors, from Sonora. There is a very considerable sprink- 
ling of black on the head and neck, and the yellowish rusty of the ears exhibits a considerable 
number of black tips. There is also a slight tendency towards a black collar on the lower 
throat, the tips of a few hairs being black. This is much less so, however, than in the Sonora 
specimen referred to. It is impossible to say whether the chin is black, owing to the absence of 
the lower jaw. The hairs around the lips are, however, black. There is an indication of the 
dark wolf mark on the fore leg. The long hairs are beautifully variegated with white and black, 
the longest measuring 5% inches. 
A large skin, No 1010, differs from the others in being generally of a darker cast, and the 
ends of the soft hairs rather more ferruginous, a tinge of which is also seen at the ends of 
