162 



NORTH AMERICAN PRAIRIE WOLP. 



Lyciscus latrans. 



PLATE V. 



This species, partly residing in the higher latitudes 

 of the .western continent, is the object of Dr Rich- 

 ardson's principal remarks, in his account of the 

 American wolves. They are described by this acute 

 and persevering investigator, as occupying the high 

 sandy plains between the sources of the Saskatche- 

 wan and the Missouri. They burrow like foxes, 

 and come out of their holes, assembling round the 

 hunter on the first report of a gun, with evident 

 hopes of sharing in the spoils of his sport. They 

 are exceedingly swift of foot, assemble in great 

 numbers, hunt in large packs, and have a barking 

 voice. In the form of the head, the muzzle, nose, 

 and position of the eyes, the specimen we have seen 

 greatly resembled the northern shepherd's dog ; the 

 fur was entirely of an ashy grey, as described by 

 former naturalists, but there was some white about 

 the breast, and even in the end of the tail, which 

 was more bushy than in the common wolf. Although 

 all these distinctive characters are trivial, yet in their 

 aggregate they remove this animal from the group 



