028 THE DOG. 



in the dark glisten like globes of fire, are smaller, and, being 

 placed more obliquely, give to the animal that cunning and 

 sinister aspect which has been so often commented upoji. 

 His face is broader above the eyes than in the domesticated 

 Dogs ; and his ears are shorter and more erect. His 

 muzzle, which he uses in place of his feet for making holes 

 in the ground for hiding his prey, is narrow, and the edges 

 of his lips are black. His tail is bushy and pendent, and is 

 rarely curled upwards, in the manner of the common dogs, 

 except for a moment when he is at play. His skin emits 

 a strong odour, his hair is coarse, and he is furnished with 

 a bristly mane, which he erects when in anger. His voice 

 is a dismal howl, although, when tamed, he readily learns 

 to imitate the barking of the common dog. In the higher 

 latitudes, his fur is usually a fulvous-gray ; and in the Arc- 

 tic regions, it often becomes as white as that of the Polar 

 Bear. In the very highest latitudes, too, his body is stouter 

 than elsewhere, his feet are more webbed, and his habits 

 more aquatic, so that he can cross from land to land, and 

 pursue seals and other prey even in the water. Towards 

 the temperate latitudes, his fur becomes more fulvous, and 

 in the warmer, it deepens even to a russet-brown ; and in 

 countries of great cold, it is more shaggy than in those which 

 are temperate. In elevated countries, destitute of trees, he 

 has longer limbs, and is more swift of foot, than in woody 

 plains where his prey is abundant ; and, in short, there is 

 no animal which presents, in the state of nature, greater va- 

 riations than the Wolf. Hunters are aware of these differ- 

 ences, and distinguish the wolves of different parts of the 

 same country. Even in the same litter, individuals are pro- 

 duced, so different in form and colour, that naturalists some- 

 times suppose them to be of distinct species. 



The season of heat of the female is in autumn, and she 

 goes with young about sixty-three days, which is the medium 

 period of gestation of the Dog ; but far otherwise than in 

 the case of dogs, the male and female wolf retire apart to 



