1872.] 



DR. J. MURIE ON THE INDIAN WILD DOG. 



719 



revision of the group is Dr. Gray's paper in our 'Proceedings' for 

 1868 (p. 492). 



Fig. 4. 



Glandular space around the anus in the female Cuon. 

 a. Anus. gl. Anal duct leading to gland. 



The generic diagnosis of Cuon has been given: — "Skull short; 



nasals elongate ; teeth forty ; tubercular grinders 



2—2 

 1—1' 



the lower 



hinder tubercular grinder deficient." So far Capt. Gildea's speci- 

 mens agree ; but I have doubts as to the propriety of distinguishing 

 Cuon from Canis, seeing that in the latter dental variation occasion- 

 ally obtains. 



Dr. Gray enumerates four species : — 1. C. primeevus. 2. C. al- 

 pinus. 3. C. sumatrensis. 4. C. dukhunensis. From his remarks 

 I apprehend he looks upon the first two as tolerably alike, and, 

 so far as cranial features tell of a diagnosis, barely draws a line of 

 demarcation between the Sumatran and Siberian species. To that 

 named Dhole by the natives of the Deccan (the C. dukhunensis) he 

 attributes a more slender nose and higher forehead. I have myself 

 compared the whole of the Cuon skulls in the national collection, 

 including the subject of the present paper, and, I confess, without 

 being able to detect veritable separation between them, excepting 

 size. That from the Deccan, forwarded by Col. Sykes, as Dr. Gray 

 has observed, is juvenile, and therefore not at all to be relied on 



