Zoological Society, 349 



rounder and more bulky as far as the front of the eyes, where the 

 thick part diminishes more speedily and terminates in a sharper 

 muzzle, furnished with whiskers ; the ear is broader at its origin, 

 and thicker and stiifer, and when they are on the look-out they pre- 

 sent the hollow part forwards and approximate their ears much 

 more than Dogs. They do not bark nor howl like Dogs, nor is their 

 voice heard often ; in fact they so cry but seldom, and submit to be 

 killed without uttering a sound. Other discrepancies between his 

 two * Zorros' and Dogs are added, but it is unnecessary to specify 

 them. I perfectly agree with Azara that he has afforded sufficient 

 proofs of the wide difference between the Canis jubatus and Dogs 

 (the most striking part of which difference, however, he has omitted 

 to characterize, viz. the long mane), but here my coincidence in 

 opinion ceases, for it is evident that the animal of which the skin 

 lies upon the table has not the slightest approximation to the cha- 

 racter of a Fox, which Azara would make it. A question is thus 

 opened, to what genus or subgenus of the second division of digiti- 

 grada does the animal belong? Unfortunately the skins in my pos- 

 session do not afford the means of fixing definitively its place in the 

 family, there being neither skull nor teeth, no toes, and no means 

 of determining whether or not an anal pouch existed. Azara's 

 dental characters are appUcable to the genus Canis, but he has 

 omitted to notice those minute points which might constitute sub- 

 generic differences. One fact mentioned, that the canines of the 

 only adult he examined were ten lines long, although they were 

 very much worn, would apply rather to Hycena than to Canis. 

 The number of toes is omitted. BufFon calls the Canis jubatus the 

 Red Wolf; but, were not its solitary and nocturnal habits and its 

 predilection for certain fruits and vegetables sufficient to separate it, 

 the remarkable mane at once prevents the alliance. Apparently, 

 therefore, being neither fox, dog, nor wolf, it may be permitted us to 

 look to a neighbouring genus, to see whether or not there are more 

 characteristics common to the animal under consideration and species 

 of that genus than we have yet met with. 



** While residing with my family at Cadiz during the spring, three 

 beautiful skins were imported from Buenos Ay res ; they were quite 

 unknown to the owner and his friends, and learning that I took an 

 interest in natural history, I was asked to examine and give my opi- 

 nion upon them. The heavy head, the large ears, the bulky body and 

 comparatively slender hind-limbs, the short neck, the shaggy hair, 

 but particularly the singular mane, fixed my attention; and in the 

 absence of primary generic characters, I would have pronounced the 



