CARNAPJA. 



91 



lives beyond twenty. Every one is acquainted with its vii^ilance, bark, singular mode of copulatinn, and suscepti- 

 bility of various kinds of education. 



The Wolf (C. lupus, Lin.)— A !ar;a;e species, with a strai,i;ht tail ; the most noxious of all the Carnhora of Europe. 

 It Is found from Eg;ypt to Lapland, and appears to have passed over to America. Towards the north, its coat 

 becomes white in winter. It attacks all our animals, but does not evince a coura;^e proportioned to its strength; it 

 often feeds on carrion. Its habits and physical developement are closely related to those of the Dog-. Another 

 species, the Black Wolf {C. li/caon) is sometimes, thoui^h rarely, found in France. The Mexican Wolf {C.mtwicanus, 

 Lin.) has the under part of the body and the feet white. 



The lied \Volf(C, jiiimta, Az.) — A line cinnamon red, with a short black mane along the spine. From the 

 marshes of South America. [The beautiful fur of this animal renders it one of the handsomest of the genus.] 



Tlie Jackal (C aureus, Lin.) [division VuJpicanis, Blainv. and Jacaf-us, Hodj?.] — A voracious species, wdiicli 

 hunts like the Dog [in packs], and in its conformation and the facility with which it is tamed, resembles the latter 

 more nearly than any other wild species. Jackals are found from the Indies and the environs of the Casjiian Sea, 

 as far as Guinea incbisive ; but it is doul.)tfnl whether they all belong to the same species. [Th(.'re are now several 

 wt'll-known si)ecies of these animals. The Cams primavus, Hodg., C. Dukhiaicu.sis, Sykes, is a lai-ge red Jackal, 

 or Jackal-like Dog, inhabiting India, and very like the Dingo of Australia.] 



Foxes [Vidjjes of some naturalists] may be distinguished from Wolves and Dogs by liavinj^ tlie tail 

 longer and more bushy [though in this respect there is no drawing the line of separation], by a more 

 pointed muzzle, and pupils which, during the day, form a vertical fissure ; also by their upper incisors 

 being less sloping; they emit a foetid odour [scarcely less ofl'eusive in the Jackals], dig bun'ows, and 

 attack only the weaker animals ; [are also n:iore frugivorous than the preceding.*] This subgenus is 

 more numerous than tlie foregoing. 



The Common Fox {C. vulpcs, Lin.)~More or less rufous, mth the extremity of the tall [generally] white. Is 



found from Sweden to Egypt, [though many of 

 those of the south of Europe appertain to a diffe- 

 rent species, C. vidanogastcr, Savi, which is 

 smaller and less carnivorous than the Common 

 Fox, and ditl'ers somewhat in habit. f There are 

 very many others, ahnost generally dilfused over 

 the globe. We can only mention] 



The Arctic or Blue Fox, or Isatis (C. ^agopiis, 

 Lin.) — Deep ash-colour, often white in winter; 

 the under surface of the toes hairy, (though several 

 of the Foxes, and even the common one, have hair 

 under the feet in the north). From the glacial 

 regions of both continents, particularly the north 

 of Scandinavia; is much esteemed for its fur. 



The interior of Africa produces Foxes remarkable for the size of their cars, and the strength of tlieir 

 whiskers: they compose the Moi/nlotis, Illiger. Two are known, the 



C. megalntis, Lalande [MepaloUs Lalandi of some authors], a Cape species, stmiewhat smaller than the Common 

 I'ox, but higher on its legs ; [especially remarkalile for possessing three tuberculous molars posfeiior to the cutting 

 grindei of each jaw ; its teeth become ranch worn with use, whence it would appear to be mainly frugivorous.] And 



The Zerda, or Fennec of Bruce (C. zerda, Gm.), 

 which has ears still larger; it is a very small 

 species, almost of a whitish fulvous, with wnnlly 

 hair extending beneath the toes; burrows in the 

 sands of Nubia, [and ascends the trunks of trees 

 with facility: dentition that of an ordinary Fox.] 



Finally, Ave may place after the Dogs, as a 

 fourth sul)genus, distinguished Ijy the num- 

 ber of toes, which are four to each foot, 



The Wild Dog of the Cape {Hjucna venafira, 

 Burch ; //. pfcta, Tem. [Li/caon picta, Brookes] ), 

 wdilch has the dental system of the Dogs [Ci- 

 vets, &c.], and not of the Hyfenas ; a tall gaunt 

 form ; fur marbled wiih white, fulvous, grey, 

 and blackish; the size of a Wolf, with large 

 ears tipped with black, &c. It Uves in numerous 

 packs, which often approach Cape-town, and de- 

 vastate the environs. [This remarkable species 



• The uommnii Do;: 



It will soon strip the 



t It is rtrunrkMhli 



-The iJliuk Fox, 



\-, in the old Greek fablea. apply bettei 

 vulpcs. — Ed. 



to C. mclinnjgri.Urr [|- .r. 



