5oo 



THE CARNIVORES 



more than passing mention. It belongs to a group which includes the other wolves, 

 the jackals, and the domestic dogs ; all the wild species of which are characterized 

 by their powerful teeth, the moderate brush formed by the tail (in which the hair 

 is longer than that of the body), and by the pupil of the eye being round. More- 

 over, in the skull of all these animals the bony projection forming the hinder border 

 of the socket of the eye is regularly curved downward and has a convex upper sur- 



THE WOI,F. 

 (One-ninth natural size.) 



face ; whereas in a fox the same process is hollow above, and has a more or less 

 marked tendency to curve upward behind. 



With the exception of the Antarctic wolf of the Falkland islands, true wolves 

 are restricted to the Northern Hemisphere, being unknown both in Africa and South 

 America. The European wolf measures about three and one-half feet in length, 

 exclusive of the tail, and is characterized by having a woolly under-fur of a slaty- 

 brown color. The prevailing hue of the fur is typically of a rufous or yellowish 

 gray above, which may be more or less mingled with black ; while the under parts 



