Rocky Mountains. 169 



ten unite in packs for the purpose of chasing deer, which 

 they very frequently succeed in running down, and killing. 

 This, however, is an achievement attended with much diffi- 

 culty to them, and in which the exertion of their utmost 



2 Cnnis nvbilus. Dusky, the hair cinereous at base, then brownish- 

 black then gray, then black; the proportion of black upon the hairs, is so 

 considerable, as to give to the whole animal a much darker colour, than 

 the 'arkest oi the latrnns, but the gray of the hairs combining with the 

 black tips, in the general effect produce a mottled appearance; the gray 

 colour predominates on the lower part of the sides; ears short, deep 

 brownish-black, with a patch of gray hair on the anterior side within; muz- 

 zle blackish above; superior lifjs, anterior to the canine teeth, gray; in- 

 feriorjaw at tip. and extending in a narrowed line backwards, nearly to 

 the origin of the neck, gray; beneath dusky ferruginous, greyish with long 

 hair between the hind thighs, and with a large white spot on the breast; 

 the ferruginous colour is very much narrowed on the neck, but is dilated 

 on the lower part of the cheeks; legs brownish- black, with but a slight 

 admixture of gray hairs, excepting on the anterior edge of the hind thighs, 

 and the lower edgings of the toes, where the gray predominates; the tail 

 is short, fusiform, a little tinged with ferruginous, black above near the 

 base and at tip, the tip of the trunk hardly attaining to the os calcis; the 

 longer hairs of the back, particularly over the shoulders, resemble a short 

 sparse mane. 



Length from the tip of the nose to the origin of the tail, 4 ft. 3 3-4 in. 



Length of the trunk of the tail, .... 1 1 



Ear from anterior angle to the tip, ... 3 3-4 



From the anterior angle of the ear, to the posterior } ., . 



canthus of the eye, \ 



From anterior canthus of the eye, to the middle ofj ... 



the tip of the nose, £ 



Between the anterior angles of the ears, rather > „ 



more than \ 



The aspect of this animal- is far more fierce and formidable than either 

 the common red wolf, or the prairie wolf, and is of a more robust form. 

 Th? length of the ears and tail distinguish it at once from the former and 

 its greatly superior size, besides the minor characters of colour &c , se- 

 parate it from the prairie wolf. As the black wolf (C. lycaoo,) is des- 

 cribed to be of a deep and uniform black colour, and his physiognomy is 

 represented to be nearly the same as that of the common wolf, it is be- 

 yond a doubt different from this species. It has the mane of the mezicanus. 

 It diffuses a strong and disagreeable odour, which scented the clothing of 

 Messrs. Peale and Dougherty, who transported the animal several miles 

 from where they killed it, to the cantonment. 



1 Sylvia eclatus. Above dull greenish-olive; rump and tail coverts purer 

 greenish-olive; primaries and tail feathers blackish- brown, olive-green on 

 the exterior margins, and white on the interior margin; head very slightly 

 and inconspicuously crested; cest with the feathers orange at base; bill 

 horn colour, Blender, !iase of the inferior mandible whitish beneath; be- 

 neath olivaceous yellow; inferior tail coverts pure yellow; legs dusky. 



vol. I. 22 



