GENERAL HISTORY OF THE DOG. 



and twenty to twenty-two in the tail. In 

 both the dog and the wolf there are thirteen 

 pairs of ribs, nine true and four false. Each 

 has forty-two teeth, the dental formula 

 being : incisors \Zl, canines )Z], pre- 

 molars J I J, and molars "~°. They 

 both have five front and four hind toes. 

 Outwardly the common wolf has very 



The coat of the wolf varies according to 

 climate and latitude with respect to both 

 its texture and colour. In the North it is 

 long and thick — longest on the belly and 

 legs, bushy on the tail, and erect on the 

 neck and sides, whilst in the South it is 

 shorter and rougher. The colour is generally 

 pale yellowish grey mingled with black, 



SKELETON OF AN AMERICAN WOLF IN THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM, SOUTH KENSINGTON. 



much the appearance of a large, bare-boned 

 dog, and a popular description of the one 

 would serve for the other. His tail, which 

 is long, hangs over his haunches like that 

 of the Esquimau dog, instead of being curled 

 upward. Distinguishing characteristics are 

 to be found in the lank body, the length of 

 snout in proportion to the head, the sloping 

 forehead, erect ears, and oblique eyes. 

 Great stress is laid by some naturalists upon 

 this obliquity of the wolf's eyes, but Dr. 

 Kane, Lieutenant Pear}', and other ex- 

 plorers in the far North, have stated that 

 they have often observed this same form 

 of eye among the dogs of their sledge teams. 



lighter and often whitish grey below. The 

 forehead is whitish grey, the snout yellow- 

 ish grey, always mingled with black, the 

 lips whitish, and the cheeks yellowish, 

 sometimes indistinctly striped. 



The wolf's natural voice is a loud howl, 

 but, as already stated, when confined with 

 dogs he will learn to bark. Although he is 

 carnivorous, he will also eat vegetables, and 

 when sickly he will nibble grass. In the 

 chase, a pack of wolves will divide into 

 parties, one following the trail of the quarry, 

 the other endeavouring to intercept its 

 retreat, exercising a considerable amount 

 of strategy, a trait which is exhibited bv 



