CARNARIA. 



91 



lives beyond twenty. Every one is acquainted viith its vigilance, bark, singular mode of copulation, and suscepti- 

 bility of various kinds of education. 



The Wolf (C lupus, Lin.) — A large species, with a straight tail ; the most noxious of all the Carnivora of Europe. 

 It is found from Egypt to Lapland, and appears to have passed over to America. Towards the north, its coat 

 becomes white in winter. It attacks all our animals, but does not evince a courage proportioned to its strength ; it 

 often feeds on carrion. Its habits and physical developement are closely related to those of the Dog. Another 

 species, the Black Wolf (C Ificaon) is sometimes, though rarely, found in France. The Mexican Wolf (C. inexicanus, 

 Lin.) has the under part of the body and the feet white. 



The Red Wolf (C. 7«6a?a, Az.) — A fine cinnamon red, with a short black mane along the spine. From the 

 marshes of South America. [The beautiful fur of this animal renders it one of the handsomest of the genus.] 



The Jackal (C. aureus, Lin.) [division Vulptcanis, Blainv. and Jacalus, Hodg.] — A voracious species, which 

 hunts like the Dog [in packs], and in its conformation and the facility with which it is tamed, resembles the latter 

 more nearly than any other wild species. Jackals are found from the Indies and the environs of the Caspian Sea, 

 as far as Guinea inclusive ; but it is doubtful whether they all belong to the same species. [There are now several 

 well-known species of these animals. The Canis pjimievus, Hodg., C. Dukhunensis, Sykes, is a large red Jackal, 

 or Jackal-like Dog, inhabiting India, and very like the Dingo of Australia.] 



Foxes [ Vulpes of some naturalists] may be distinguished from Wolves and Dogs by having the tail 

 longer and more bushy [tliough in this respect there is no drawing the line of separation], by a more 

 pointed muzzle, and pupils which, during the day, form a vertical fissure ; also by their upper incisors 

 being less sloping; they emit a fcetid odour [scarcely less offensive in the Jackals], dig bun'ows, and 

 attack only the weaker animals ; [are also more frugivorous than the preceding.*] This subgenus is 

 more numerous than the foregoing. 



The Co;nnion Fox (C. vuJpcs, Lin.) — More or less ruibiis, with the extremity of the tail [generally] white. Is 



found from Sweden to Egypt, [though many of 

 ___-^^.._____ those of the south of Europe appertain to a dift'e- 



rent species, C. melanot/aster, Savi, which is 

 smaller and less carnivorous than the Common 

 Fox, and differs somewhat in habit.f There are 

 very many others, almost generally diffused over 

 the globe. AVe can only mention] 



The Arctic or Blue Fox, or Isatis (C. lagopus, 

 Lin.)— Deep ash-colour, often white in winter; 

 the under surface of the toes hain-, (though several 

 of the Foxes, and even the common one, have hair 

 under the feet in the north). From the glacial 

 regions of both continents, particularly the north 

 of Scandinavia ; is much esteemed for its fur. 



The interior of Africa produces Foxes remarkable for the size of their ears, and the strength of their 

 whiskers : they compose the Meyalotis, Illiger. Two are known, the 



C. megalotis, Lalande [Megalotis Lalandi of some authors], a Cape species, somewhat smaller than the Common 

 Fox, but higher on its legs ; [especially remarkable for possessing three tuberculous molars posterior to the cutting 

 grinder of each jaw : its teeth become much worn with use, whence it would appear to be mainly frugivorous.] And 



The Zerda, or Fennec of Bruce (C. zerda, Gm.), 

 which has ears still larger; it is a very small 

 species, almost of a whitish fulvous, with woolly 

 hair extending beneath the toes ; burrows in the 

 sands of Nubia, [and ascends the trunks of trees 

 with facility: dentition that of an ordinary Fox.] 



Finally, we may place after the Dogs, as a 

 fourth subgenus, distinguished by the num- 

 ber of toes, which are four to each foot, 



The Wild Dog of the Cape {Hi/an a venal ica, 

 Burch ; //. picta, Tem. [Lycaon picta, Brookes] ), 

 which has the dental system of the Dogs [Ci- 

 vets, &c.], and not of the Hyasnas ; a tall gaunt 

 form ; fur marbled with white, fulvous, grey, 

 and blackish ; the size of a Wolf, with large 

 ears tipped with black, &c. It lives in numerous 

 packs, which often approach Cape-town, and de- 

 vastate the environs. [This remarkable species 



The coromon Dog is an eatfer dcvourcrof gooseberries, t 

 ■ill soon blrip the bushes to which it has access. — Ed. 

 It is reniRrkabIc that inniiv of the haiiits attritiu'.cd 



riogfitter tti;i to 



