240 The Mammals of Colorado 
description is in a footnote following mention of "Cherry Creek," 
which seems to be Pawnee Creek, Logan Co., Colo. The description 
was drawn up from parts of two or three different animals, and 
does not say where they were taken; the animal was seen by the 
expedition both in what is now western Nebraska and eastern 
Colorado. 
Measurements. — (From ElHot): Total length, 25.5; tail vert., 
8.9 ; hind foot, 3.75. 
Description. — Above pale grizzled gray; sides pale yellowish ful- 
vous; belly white; top of head and ears more fulvous; tail grayish, 
somewhat grizzled above, clearer below, about ins. of tip black. 
Distribution. — The Swift is found on the plains north from 
Texas to the Saskatchewan Plains, Canada; it is found in Colorado 
on the plains east of the foot-hills, but does not seem to be abundant 
anywhere. 
Habits. — This species lives on the prairies, using burrows 
excavated by some other animal such as the badger, or 
possibly at times digging holes for itself. It feeds on the 
smaller animals inhabiting those regions. 
Genus CANIS (Lat., a dog) 
Cants Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., loth ed., i., p. 38 (1758). Type Canis 
•familiaris Linnaeus. 
Nose long, tapering; jaws elongated; postorbital processes short, 
smooth, convex; brain-case lengthened, compressed anteriorly; 
nasals extending to or back of maxillaries; a strong sagittal crest ; 
angular process of lower j aw long and curved ; skull with frontal sinus ; 
tail rather bushy; pupil round; dentition: i. |; c. |; pm. |; m | X 2 
= 42 ; a projection or lobe on each side of and above point of upper 
incisors; upper carnassial tooth with middle lobe conical, pointing 
backward, anterior lobe nearly obsolete ; lower carnassial or first 
molar very large, with bilobed blade, compressed, the hinder lobe 
the larger, with two cusps and a raised anterior border; second lower 
molar small, and the last very small; first upper molar large, second 
smaller, but of good size ; first lower premolar small, about the same 
size as the last lower molar. 
This genus is cosmopolitan, representatives being found 
on every continent. It comprises the Dogs, Wolves, Coyotes, 
and Jackals. A considerable number of species of the 
various forms or groups have been described, but many of 
