296 



MEXICAN WOLF. 



Canis Mexicanus. C. cauda deftexa l&vi, corpore cinereo, fasciis 

 fuscis maculisyuefulvis variegato. Lin. Syst. Nat. Gmd, p*ji. 



Dog with deflected tail, and ash-coloured body, variegated with 

 dusky bands and fulvous spots. 



Canis cinereus, maculis fulvis variegatus. Briss. Quadr. 237. 



Loup de Mexique Buff. i$.p. 49. 



Mexican Wolf. Pennant Quadr. i.p. 250. 



THIS species, which Buflfon is inclined to con- 

 sider as a variety of the common Wolf, gradually 

 altered by climate (having, as he supposes, mi- 

 grated originally from the northern parts of the 

 American continent to the southern), appears to 

 have been first described by Hernandez, in his 

 account of Mexico. In its general appearance it 

 resembles the common Wolf; but has a head 

 twice as large, a thicker neck, and a less bushy 

 tail: the colour of the body is cinereous, marked 

 with some yellow spots: the head is of the same 

 colour with the body, and marked with transverse 

 brownish lines, and the front is spotted with yel- 

 low : above the mouth are situated several bristles, 

 as large, but not so stiff, as those of a hedgehog : 

 the ears are grey, like the head and body : there 

 is a long yellow spot on the neck, another on the 

 breast, and a third on the belly: on the flanks are 

 transverse bands from the back to the belly: the 

 tail is grey, with a yellow spot in the middle : the 

 legs are barred with grey and brown. The de- 

 scription, as given by Mr. Pennant, differs some- 

 what from the former, and is thus delivered : 



