64 



MAMMALIA— ORDER IV.—CARNIVORA. 



the postorbital process of the frontal bone, that is to say the one forming 

 the hinder boundary of the socket of the eye, has its superior surface 

 smooth and convex, and its free extremity bent downwards. 

 Wolf-like Series. In this group the wolves are the largest wild representa- 

 tives ; the common wolf (C. Inpns) ranging over the northern 

 portions of both the Old and New Worlds. There are no wolves either in 

 Africa or South America, although it is curious that the so-called Antarctic 

 wolf (C. antarctkus) of the Falkfand Islands appears to belong to the group. 

 In Asia there are several wolves, although none are found in the countries to 

 the east and south-east of the Bay of Bengal, and there is some difference of 

 opinion as to their relationship to the common wolf. With regard to the 



wolf inhabiting the plains of India, 

 most persons not specially versed 

 in the mysteries of zoology would 

 probably be unable to distinguish 

 it from its European cousin, un- 

 less specimens were placed side 

 by side, and even then would find 

 some difficulty. It appears, how- 

 ever, that there are certain differ- 

 ences in the habits of the two 

 animals, which suggest the pro- 

 bability of their specific distinct- 

 ness from one another. For in- 

 stance, the Indian wolf is re- 

 markable for its silence, only very 

 rarely, if ever, uttering the well- 

 known howl of the common 

 species ; although it is stated that it will occasionally bark, after the manner 

 of a pariah dog. Then, again, Indian wolves, although sometimes found in 

 small family parties of half-a-dozen or so, are never known to collect in the 

 enormous packs which make the European species so dreaded in winter. It 

 is probable that these differences in habits would not by themselves alone be 

 regarded as sufficient to establish the right of the Indian wolf to rank as a 

 distinct species. When, however, it is found that there are in addition 

 certain points by which the two animals can be distinguished from one 

 another, these differences in habits become of importance in adding to 

 their distinctness. The Indian wolf is, indeed, a somewhat smaller and 

 slighter animal than the European species, the average difference in the 

 length of the two animals being about si.x: inches. Then, also, the hair 

 is rather shorter, and there is little or no under-fur ; while the colour is 

 generally rather more inclined to brown than in the common wolf. The 

 absence of under-fur in the Indian wolf might, we think, be well explained 

 by the hotter climate in which it dwells ; but, in spite of this, naturalists 

 are probably right in regarding it as a distinct species, under the name of 

 Canis palli/ies. 



The Indian wolf does not range into the Himalaya, neitlier is it found to 

 the westward of the Indus, or in Ceylon. That island seems, indeed, to 

 enjoy a happy immunity from the presence of several of the larger Indian 

 Carnivora, as it has neither wolves, wild dogs, hyenas nor tigers. In the case 

 of the tiger it has been attempted to account for this absence by tlie sugges- 

 tion tnat this animal is but a comparatively recent immigrant into India from 



Fig. 39.— CojMMOS Wolf. 



