164 



fHE CAYGOTTE* OF MEXICO. 



Lyciscus cagottis^ Smith. 



PLATE VI. 



The Caygotte of the Mexican Spaniards, and most 

 probably the Coyotl of the native Indians, is a 

 second species, but slightly noticed by travellers. 

 Mr William Bullock observed it near Rio Frio, in 

 the Mexican territory, and was informed by mule- 

 teers, then with him, that it was the Caygotte, a 

 very fierce kind of wolf: the individuals he saw 

 were in size equal to a hound, of a brownish rusty- 

 grey, with buff-coloured limbs, and rather a scanty 

 })rush. This description nearly coincides with a 

 similar animal we have met on the north coast of 

 South America ; only the tail was dark brown, with 

 ^ white tip, and the under parts and feet were dirty 



* The Basque name, Caygotte, bestowed by the Spaniards 

 upon a Mexican canine, oflfers a curious coincidence with the 

 indigenous name Coyotl. In Beam and the south of France, 

 Cagat is a term of contempt applied to a race of human beings 

 for ages persecuted and expelled social life. It is there inter- 

 preted for Ca-goth, Gothic dog or Arian, but it seems to sig- 

 nify dog of the woods, or wood-hound, which is synonymous 

 with Coyotl. Is it therefore another instance where these 

 * wo remote dialects resemble each othe** ? 



