1890.1 



SOUTH-AMERICAN CANIDjE. 



107 



Burraeister tells us he received a specimen from Lagoa Santa, 

 which seemed to agree with Lund's C.fulvicaudus, save that the end 

 of the tail was black. He then held (see his ' Uebersicht,' p. 102) 

 this species of Lund to be a mere variety of Lund's C. vetulus. 

 Later, however, he received from Lagoa Santa what he regarded as a 

 true example of Lund's G. vetulus, and on studying it he came to 

 the conclusion that the two species were distinct (' Fauna Brasiliens,' 

 p. 41). Thus, he adds, "it was proved that a ruddy tail-end was no 

 distinctive character oiO.fulvicaudus, although the underside of the 

 tail was much redder than the upper, while in 0. vetulus it appears 



Fig. 3. 



Side view of skull of Canis parvidens. 



a degree lighter and more faded \ Thus the two species can be 

 well distinguished at the first glance " [ ! ]. This appears to me a 

 truly wonderful assertion. The species may be distinct, but I am 

 confident a " first glance " would by no means serve to assure us of 

 such a fact. Now whatever may be the case as to the specific identity 

 of Lund's C. vetulus and C. fulvicaudus, the specific identity of Bur- 

 meister's Q. vetulus and C.fulvicaudus seems to me to be confirmed by 

 Burmeister's representations of their skulls. His figures only show 

 small distinctions as to the form of the sagittal ridge and of the post- 

 frontal processes, upon which he lays much stress, but which are 

 in my eyes valueless. 



1 His words are: — " Grade blasser und mehr wie verblichen erscheint." 



