574 



CARNIVORES. 



under-parts are nearly black. The great peculiarity of this animal is, however, the 

 circumstance that it has usually but one molar tooth in the upper jaw, and only 

 two of these teeth in the lower jaw, so that it has fewer teeth than any other 

 member of the dog family. This, however, is not all, for the lower flesh-tooth has 

 no trace of the cusp found on the inner side of the blade in all other dogs ; while 

 the heel of the same tooth, instead of being broad and adapted for grinding, is 

 brought to a sharp cutting-edge. These features indicate that the bush-dog is a 

 more specialised animal than the other members of the family. 



But little is known of the habits of the bush-dog in the wild state, as it is but 

 seldom seen, and is probably nocturnal. We are informed, however, that these 

 animals are, for their size, very fierce, and hunt in packs. They are found only in 

 the interior of the countries they inhabit; and are said to take readily to the 

 water. A specimen kept in captivity was very indiscriminate in its feeding, but 

 preferred animal to vegetable substances. Fossil remains of the bush-dog are 

 found in the caverns of Brazil, in company with those of a host of strange animals 

 long since passed away. 



LALANDE'S DOG (Otocyon megalotis). 



As the bush-dog is remarkable for the diminution in the number of its teeth, 

 so the long-eared, or Lalande's dog, is peculiar in that it has more than the ordinary 



LALANDE'S DOG (i nat. size). 



