110 U. 8. P. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS ZOOLOGY GENERAL REPORT. 



Since the preceding article was written, a large amount of additional material has been 

 received by the Smithsonian Institution, from the western explorations of Lieutenant G. K. 

 Warren and Lieutenant F. T. Bryan, embracing numerous specimens of skins, skeletons, and 

 skulls. The time allowed for completing this report is, however, too short to permit me to re- 

 examine the questions mooted above with the view of coming to a satisfactory conclusion. I 

 can only say, in general terms, that these collections embrace specimens entirely of a yellowish 

 white, all of a very large size, and giving indication of great age, and others varying through 

 all intermediate stages to gray, with black tipped hairs, leaving no doubt as to their specific 

 idcntitv. Thus, No. 1856, from the Yellowstone, is everywhere of a yellowish white, the bases 

 of the dorsal hairs, with a slightly brownish tinge, most conspicuous on the shoulders. There 

 are a few much scattered black hairs, only visible on close examination. The fore leg exhibits 

 no trace of the wolf mark. Two specimens from the south fork of the Platte agree with this 

 one. 



In No. 1858 the general color is similar, with more black hairs, and a deeper brown on the 

 bases of the dorsal hairs, detracting from the purity of the white. There are some black hairs 

 on the upper side of the tail. No bands on the leg ; animal very old. 



In 1862, 1861, 1859, the prevalent tint above is of a dirty light-brownish rusty; decidedly 

 rusty on the back of the head, neck, and ears ; mixed with this are tufts of long hairs, white 

 at base, then black, then white, and tipped with black. The tail is tipped with black. There 

 is an indistinct dusky band down the anterior face of the fore leg ; not so old as the preceding. 

 No. 1868 from the North Fork of the Platte agrees with these. 



In No. 1860 the pelage is in excellent condition ; the long hairs grown out all over the back, 

 and concealing the basal fur. The prevailing color above is grayish white, waved with black, 

 tipping the hairs. On the sides, the under fur only is seen, of a light ferruginous. The upper 

 parts and tip of the tail are black, the latter with some white hairs. Face gray, nape and 

 region about the ears pale rusty, with some black. There is no band on the leg. 



No. 1857 is a young animal with deciduous teeth. It agrees with the last, but is of a less 

 rusty tinge. The prevailing color above is a light ash gray, waved with black. There is a 

 distinct dusky band down the fore legs. 



A skin of a wolf from Ohio, kindly loaned by Dr. Kirtland, agrees with No. 1860, but is 

 rather more rusty. 



The following is a translation of Prince Maximilian's remarks on the varying wolf of the 

 Upper Missouri, as made in his Reise in das innere Nord-Amerika, II, 1841, 95. 



" Cants varidbilis. This wolf is distinguished from that of the eastern States (which resembles 

 the European species) by the somewhat smaller size, shorter, thicker snout, somewhat shorter 

 ears, and by the want of the dark stripe running down the legs in C. lupus, of Europe; also by 

 the color varying from the ordinary wolf's gray to pure white. In any troop of these animals, 

 one may see some that are entirely white and pale, some more mixed with gray, and others that 

 are entirely gray. In the living animal the iris is whitish-gray, washed with yellowish, dotted 

 with dark on the external border, and colored with yellowish-brown around the pupil. In a 

 word, the iris is pale yellowish gray-brown, darker around the pupil. 



" Color of the gray variety of this wolf. Around the eye, the cheeks, and sides of the snout, 

 whitish ; forehead mixed with gray ; top of the nose pale reddish ; the short truncated ears are 

 pale grayish-yellow; upper parts of the animal are yellowish- gray, with decided black tips to 



