194 THE THOA WILD DOGS. 



dogs only as distinct species, but we think that in 

 a late paper he has felt the necessity of forming 

 ^lem into more separated locations. The variegated 

 colours on the back were most likely the cause 

 which induced the ancients to assert that the Thos 

 ^or Chaber of Africa) was, according to Oppian, an 

 hybrid between the wolf and panther, or between 

 the hyaena and wolf, according to Varinus; and 

 Solinus justly named the Ethiopian wolves Thoas. 

 All the species have the tip of the tail black, and 

 prefer rocky sandy districts where there are bushes 

 and water, to humid woods. We suspect the grey- 

 hound of the desert was originally derived from a 

 species very nearly if not actually belonging to this 

 section. 



