“MAMMALIA, ~ 61 
The Wolf to which these characters have been ascribed, seems to be the “large 
brown Wolf” of Lewis and Clark, and, according to them, inhabits not only the 
Atlantic countries, but also the borders of the Pacific and the mountains which 
approach the Columbia river, between the Great Falls and rapids, but is not found 
on the Missouri to the westward of the Platte. Ihave seen none of these Brown 
Wolves ; butif their resemblance is so close to the European Wolf as Major Smith* 
states it to be, I have no hesitation in saying that they differ decidedly from the 
Wolf which inhabits the countries north of Canada. While attached to the late 
expeditions, I passed through thirty degrees of latitude and upwards of fifty of 
longitude on the American continent, and in the course of seven years travelled 
upwards of twenty thousand miles, durmg the whole of which time I had almost 
daily opportunities of observing the form and manners of the Wolves, but 1 saw 
none which had the gaunt appearance, the comparatively long jaw and tapering 
nose, the high ears, long legs, slender loins, and narrow feet of the Pyrenean Wolf. 
In some of the districts which we traversed, the Wolves were very numerous, 
and varied greatly in the colour of their fur, some being white, others totally 
black, but the greater number were mixed gray and white, more or less tinged 
in parts with brown. ‘These variations of colour, however, not being attended 
with any differences of form, nor peculiarity of habits, I deem them to be no more 
_ characteristic of proper species or even permanent varieties than colour would be 
in the domestic dog. All the northern Wolves, whatever their colours are, have 
certain characters in common wherein they differ from the European race ; and the 
Indian report of the extreme variations of colour being occasionally observed in 
Wolves of the same litter, strengthens my opinions. 
DESCRIPTION. 
The American Wolf of the northern districts is covered with long and comparatively fine fur, 
mixed with a large quantity of shorter woolly hair, and it has 2 more robust form than the 
European Wolf. Its muzzle is thicker and more obtuse, its head larger and rounder, and there 
is a sensible depression at the union of the nose and forehead. Its more arched forehead is 
comparatively broad, the space between the ears being greater than their height. The ears are 
shorter, wider at the base, and more acute, and have, consequently, a more conical form, whilst 
the greater length of the hair on the side of the neck of this Wolf makes them appear even 
shorter than they are. Its neck, covered with a bushy fur, appears short and thick. Its legs 
are rather short, its feet broad, with thick toes, and its tail is bushy, like the brush of a fox. 
The European Wolf, on the contrary, has a coarser fur, with less of the soft wool inter- 
mixed with it. Its head is narrower, and tapers gradually to form the nose, which is pro- 
* GRIFFITH’s Animal Kingdom, vol. ii. p. 348. 
