70 CARNIVORA. 



may be traced between the Foxes and native races of the 

 domestic dog of the New World and those of the Old ; 

 the former possessing finer, denser, longer fur, and 

 broader feet, well calculated for running in the snow." 



And at p. 64 : " The American Wolf burrows and brings 

 forth its young in earths with several outlets, like those of 

 a Fox. I saw some of their burrows on the plains of the 

 Saskatchewan, and also on the banks of the Coppermine 

 Eiver. The number of young in a litter varies from 

 four or five to eight or nine. In Captain Parry's and 

 Captain Franklin's narratives, instances are recorded 

 of the female Wolf associating with the domestic dog ; 

 and we are informed that the Indians endeavour to 

 improve their sledge-dogs by crossing the breed with 

 Wolves. The resemblance between the Northern Wolves 

 and the domestic dog of the Indians is so great that 

 the size and strength of the Wolf seems the only 

 difference. I have more than once mistaken a band of 

 Wolves for the dogs of a party of Indians ; and the 

 howl of the animals of both species is prolonged so 

 exactly in the same key, that even the practised ear 

 of an Indian fails at times to discriminate them." 

 Again, p. 70: " The Indians do not consider the black 

 Wolves to be a distinct race, but report that one or two 

 black whelps are occasionally found in a litter of a grey 

 Wolf. In conceding to their opinion, I do not mean to 

 assert that the offspring of black Wolves are not most 

 frequently black. The black Wolves differ from the 

 grey ones only in colour, and their haunts and habits 

 are precisely the same." 



The American Wolf reaches a high latitude. It was 

 observed in latitude 27° N. during the late Polar Expedi- 

 tion. 



Mr. Fielden states that " on the 1st April, 1876, 



