78 THE TOWER MENAGERIE. 
is founded, we cannot consider ourselves authorized in 
a work of this nature to make any innovations upon 
science, however much we may feel, as in the present 
instance, that they are called for by the exigency of the 
case. ‘That its position is at least doubtful is proved by 
the fact that M. Temminck, one of the ablest of the 
continental zoologists, first described it from the living 
animal under the designation of a Hyena, and, having 
subsequently changed his opinion, is now disposed to 
regard it as a species of dog. 
For the zoological characters of the latter genus the 
reader is referred to the following article: at present we 
shall confine ourselves to the description of the remark- 
able animal before us, pointing out, as we proceed, the 
marks by which it differs from both the groups to which 
it has hitherto been referred, and those by which it is 
assimilated to either the one or the other. In the shape 
and elevation of its body it is at first sight distinguished 
from them both, its legs being considerably longer in 
relation to its size, and the trunk of its body, as will be 
seen by the portrait prefixed, being very different in 
form and proportions. It is entirely destitute of the 
mane of the Hyzna, and its tail is very similar to that 
of certain dogs; but, on the other hand, its head 
approximates very closely, or rather bears a most 
striking resemblance, to the broad and flattened fore- 
head, and the short and truncated muzzle, which charac- 
terize the former genus. It is this latter circumstance 
no doubt that has induced many naturalists, both popular 
and scientific, to identify the Wild Dog, as he is called 
by the settlers at the Cape, with a group of animals 
from which in every other particular of outward struc- 
