106 U. 8. 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 ot 

 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 4 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 



