FELID^. — OCIII. 345 



hb. Tail with a concealed mane of stiff hairs, and without soft fur ; muzzle 



shorter : Urocyon, 603. 



aa. Pupil circular; tail moderate ; upper incisors distinctly lobed. Cajjis, 604. 



605. VULPES Brisson. (Lat., fox.) 



1141. V. pennsylvanicus (Boddaert). Red Fox. Chiefly 

 reddish gray, with black feet and ears ; tip of tail white. The 

 Cross Fox is var. deoussatus (Desm.), with a dark cross on back; 

 the Black or Silver Fox is var. argentatua (Shaw). These forms 

 fully intergrade with the Common Fox. L. 45. T. 15. North- 

 ern regions, S. to Texas. Closely allied to the fox of Europe, V. 

 vulpes. Subspec. rubricosa Bangs, a larger red fox, occurs in 

 Nova Scotia. (Lat., reddish.) 



606. UROCYON Baird. (ovpa, tail ; Kvmv, dog.) 



1142. TJ. cinereoargenteus (Miiller). Gray Fox. Chiefly 

 gray ; fur dusky or tawny, hairs hoary at tip ; tip of tail usually 

 dark. L. 40. T. 14. Penn. to Texas and S. W. Smaller than 

 the Bed Fox, and more dog-like in habit and appearance. (Lat., 

 ashy-silvery.) 



607. CANIS Linnaeus. (Lat., dog.) 



1143. C. latrana Say. Coyote. Prairie Wolf. Yellowish 

 gray, clouded with black ; fur coarse; snout sharp. L. 55. T. 11. 

 Minn, and S. W. Common on the plains, burrowing in the ground. 

 A vagabond dog-like animal, " half bold and half timid, yet lazy all 

 through." (Lat., barking.) 



1144. C. nubilus Say. Wolf. Color exceedingly variable; 

 chiefly gray, becoming whitish northward, southward more and 

 more blackish and reddish, till in Florida black wolves (ater Rich- 

 ardson) predominate, and in Texas red ones (rufus Aud. & Bach.), 

 while on the plains is the dusky wolf (the typical nubilus Say). 

 L. 65. T. 15. Northern regions, common where not exterminated. 

 The Dog, Canis familiaris L., is closely allied to the wolf, and in 

 part at least derived from the European species, Canis lupus L. 

 (nulilus, dusky.) 



Family CCIII. PBLID^. (The Cats.) 



Digitigrade Carnivora with the toes 5-4 ; claws compressed, very 

 sharp retractile ; palms and soles hairy, with naked pads under 

 each toe and the ball of the foot. Body compact ; head short, broad, 

 and rounded. Dentition i. |:| ; c. \z{ ; pm. |;| or |:| ; m. |:^ = 30 

 or 28 ; canine teeth long and sharp ; teeth all strongly trenchant ; 

 tongue with short, retrorse papillse. General aspect cat-like. 

 Species numerous, found in all parts of the world excepting Australia 

 and its islands, " the fiercest, strongest, and most terrible of beasts," 



