WILD ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY 



undercoat. Legs, feet, and toes : Dog — short, stout, and 

 thick, blunt claws, directed downwards in the front feet ; 

 fox — slender, long, and with thin and usually sharp claws, 

 not directed downwards, but standing forward. Tail : 

 Dog — somewhat flattened, never reaching the ground, and 

 terminating with a point; fox — a round woolly brush, 

 reaching and touching the ground, and terminating with 

 a pendulous tuft. 



Not one of the fox-dogs submitted to the writer's in- 

 spection possessed a single character recorded above as 

 belonging to the fox ; it would, however, be too much to 

 expect that a gamekeeper, who has for years cherished the 

 belief in fox-dogs, would dispel the charm and undeceive 

 himself, but he may some day quietly hint that, after all, 

 the case would admit of the least possible doubt. 



The slender body and limbs of a fox are undiscernible 

 when clothed as they are by nature with the long, fine, 

 and woolly fur ; but divested of the skin, and placed by 

 the side of an Italian greyhound, in the same condition, 

 the fineness of the form is at once discernible, the latter 

 (the Italian greyhound) appearing very clumsy. The 

 comparison can be better judged by those who have seen 

 and could look at a skinned hare and rabbit side by side, 

 but who would probably shudder at the sight of a skinless 

 dog or fox. 



Whatever may be said about the difference existing 

 between dogs and foxes will not hold good in reference to 

 dogs, wolves, and jackals. 



Wolves and jackals appear so alike that the only 

 appreciable distinction is the size ; and so closely do they 

 resemble many dogs, not only in appearance but in habit, 

 and breeding freely in captivity and producing fertile 

 progeny, that no difficulty presents itself in regarding 

 them as of or from one stock. The manner in which a 



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