.CANIS. 135 



that generic distinctions are founded on characters of less struc- 

 tural importance than in most families of Mammalia. - For an 

 account of the cranial and dental characters see Huxley, P. Z. S. 

 1880, p. 238. 



The CanidcK are mostly carnivorous. Many are predatory, and 

 several hunt in troops. Some feed on carrion, on insects, or, in 

 part, on fruit. All have a very acute sense of smell, and both 

 sight and hearing are highly developed. 



Three Indian genera are recognized, and may be thus distin- 

 guished : 



A. A frontal sinus pi'esent; postorbital process smooth and 



convex abo\e ; tail, includiug' liair at end (in all ludiau 

 forms), less than half the length of the bead and body. >- 



a. Seven teeth in lower molar series Canis. 



b. Six teeth in lower molar series Cyon. 



B. No frontal sinns, postorbital process concave above ; tail 



more than half the length of the bead and body Vulpes. 



Many fossil Canines are known. In the Siwalik beds of the 

 Punjab a wolf, C'aiiis cautleyt, and a fox, Vulpes curvipalatus, have 

 been found, and also a species of the extinct genus Amphici/oit, 

 which was in some respects intermediate between dogs and bears. 



Genus CANIS, Linn. (1766). 

 Syn. Liqms, Saccalius, O.rygous, Ham. Smith. 



In this genus are comprised the wild wolves and jackals and 

 domestic dogs, the latter being apparently the descendants of 

 several different wild forms, amongst which the common \\olf and 

 the common jackal are two of tlie principal. 



The dentition is i. -, c. j^, pm. j^, m. t^^ The teeth are 

 powerful. The tail in all wild species forms a moderate brush, the 

 hair being longer than on the body. The pupil is round. There 

 are generally lU, more rarely 8, mammae. 



Synopsis of Indian, Ceylonese, and Burmese Species. 



A. Head and body about 3 feet 6 inches long ; much 



woolly underfur C. lupus, p. 135. 



B. Head and body about 3 feet long; little or no woolly 



underfur C. juiUipes, p. 137. 



C. Head and body 2 feet to 2 feet 6 inches long .... C. aureus, p. 140. 



67. Canis lupus. The Wolf. 



Canis lupus, L. Syst Nat. ed. xii, i, p. 58 (1 760) ; Hutton, J. A. S. B. 



xiv, p. 345 ; Scully, P. Z. S. 1 881 , p. 201 . 

 Lupus Jauiger, Hodys. Calc. Journ. N. If. vii, p. 474 ; Ilors/irld, A. 3f. 



N. II. ser. 2, x vi, p. 107 (1835) ; Blyth, J. A. S. B. xvi, pt. 2, p. 1 170. 

 Canis cbanco, (rray, P. Z. S. 1803, p. 04. 

 Canis niger, Sclate?; P. Z. S. 1874, p. 054, pi. Isxviii. 



