PREFACE. 



Many years have now elapsed since any general work was published on 

 the subject to which this volume is dedicated. Its object is to make 

 known and describe the species and leading varieties of existing wild 

 Canidie. 



For this purpose the rich and unrivalled stores of Canine animals 

 accunudatcd in the British Museum of Natural History have been 

 most liberally and kindly placed at the disposal of the author by the 

 authorities of that Iiistitutiou. Tiic writer cannot hope to have in 

 all cases rightly determined the vexed questions as to the limits of 

 species and varieties and those of synonymy. He trusts, however, by 

 means of his studies, by full references to the literature concerning 

 each species, and by carefully drawn figures from nature, and some- 

 times from life, to have at least provided a fresh starting point whence 

 new explorations into the Natural History of the group may fruit- 



