THE WOLF. 



117 



Ireland, hoAvever, tliis was by no means the case, as, 

 later on, we shall be able to show. 



Geological Evidence. 



Owmg to the great similarity which exists between 

 the skeleton of a Wolf and that of a large Dog, such 

 as would be used in the chase, it is very difficult to 

 distinguish between them. Professor Owen, in his 



SKULL OF "n'OLP. {\ NAT. SIZE.) 



" British Fossil Mammals," has remarked upon this 

 difficulty, and, following Cuvier, has pointed out the 

 chief distinguishing characters Avhich may be relied 

 upon for identification, and which lie chiefly in the 

 skull. He says : — '' The Wolf has the triangular 

 part of the forehead behind the orbits a little nar- 

 rower and flatter, the occipito-sagittal crest lojiger 

 and loftier, and the teeth, especially the canines, 

 proportionately larger. ' "■* 



* Compare the crania of tlie Wolf liei-e figured (pp. 120, 121) with 

 those of the Dog, upper and under surfaces, given by Professor 

 PloTi'er in his " Csteology of the Mammalia," pp. 113, 116 (ist ed.). 



I 2 



