Voyage Scientifique en Moree. 349 



of the European quadrupeds, we have not seen in any collection. A 

 skin very nearly entire was sent by the writer to the British Museum, 

 but, not having been properly cured before it came into his possession, 

 was destroyed in setting up. There can be little doubt, that if it be 

 not found in the Morea, it may be looked for in the larger islands of 

 the southern Archipelago. 



The wolf is very numerous, and were it not for the celebrated 

 breed of Molossian dogs, which have lost none of their qualities, would 

 render the keeping flocks of sheep extremely difficult. 



The fox is very common in the Peloponnesus, as may be expected 

 in a country of mountain fastnesses, and of forest and wooded ra- 

 vines so well adapted to their habits. The species is not given, but 

 they suppose it to be the same with that which inhabits the centre of 

 Europe. We rather suppose, on the contrary, that this was not ascer- 

 tained, owing to their being probably ignorant of the discovery of the 

 Prince of Musignano, and that the Grecian fox is the C. melanogaster, 

 or short-footed species, of that naturalist. 



The most important discovery made amongst the Mammalia by the 

 Commission was that of the jackal, C. aureus, which not only inha- 

 bits the Morea, but is extremely abundant there. On one occasion 

 their yelpings at night put the little camp on the alert, and they stood 

 to arms as if expecting an attack. We are told this quite gravely ; and 

 we cannot help contrasting the restless vigilance of our neighbours, 

 bordering on timidity, which is a quality so valuable in war both by 

 sea and land, with the habits of our own countrymen, in whom it is 

 almost wholly wanting, often to the great prejudice of our arms ; and 

 when once composed, we engage that a party of John Bull's family 

 would require a much stronger stimulus to rouse them from their 

 slumbers. 



We confess feeling rather a sense of humiliation, that, after the 

 hordes of travellers we have sent annually, fit and unfit, to travel in 

 Greece for the last twenty-five years, the curious fact of the ex- 

 istence of the animal should have been left to the discovery of these 

 gentlemen in 1829. 



We have a disquisition on the species, which it appears has en- 

 gaged the attention of F. Cuvier, who has made out the following va- 

 rieties : Caucasian, Nubian, Senegal, Algiers, and that of the Morea. 

 As the distinctions of those of Algiers, Caucasus, and the Morea, ap- 

 pear to be founded wholly on the colour, or rather shades of colour 

 and length of fur, we are not disposed to concur in them, as the influ- 

 ence of season, of age, or climate, will no doubt account for the appa- 



