The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-01-02


but one family among the Cynoidea, WHOSE
structural traits are almost as uniform rs those
of Felid@, and although dogs were not special
lied at so early geological period rs cats, and
their fossil history is not so complete, they
nevertheless stretch far backward in time, and
their bones are mingled in the breccia of
caves with those of the first animals with
whom man is known TO have been associated
Certain minor anatomical differences exist
between tho forms which constitute the genus
CAMS, but in what Prof. Huxley calls the
thooid group-that is, among dogs, wolves aud
foxes-thcir value is chiefly classincatory, and
Goes not essentially modify the life OF these
animals. To such an unusual extent is this true,
that naturalists now regard Canide as forming
a complete series whose highest and lowest
forms may be connected in an unbrokon struct-
ural chain.
According TO w. n. Lockngton, "the COM
mon wolf is the largest and ficrcest creature
of the entire group, and "the only one that is
dangerous TO mat" 1t extends all over Europe.
aud is distributed widely throughout Asia and
America. In these vast regions many divers
tiles occur both in size, color and habits of life.
Structurally, the animal has n less marked
carnivorous specialization than Felid9 exhib-
it, aud there is correlative indefniteness in
his conduct rs displayed in the struggle for
existence. "All the Asatic thooids distributed
north of the Altai range" says Lockington,
tire H9TG NaTftilPS OF the common Wuit.H 80
also is the American form. which in the north
becomes, like the Scandinavian, white during
Winter Cuvor describes the CAMS lupus of
Europe as a large species with straight tail
legs fawn coIored, and with n black stripe on
the ioreegs when adult
In the Pyrenees and the mountainous regions
of Franco, Spain, Italy and Russia black va
ricty of the gray wolf Is found. On the other
hand, throughout Southeastern Europe In
Italy and in the tropical ATTITUDES of America,
the coat of tho gray wolf assumes n fulvous
hue. Within the arctic parallels of both con-
tinents the pelago In Summer Is lighter while
the hair in Winter is white. Further, thoro is
little doubt that tho average French wolf il
smaller and browner than tho German variety,
aud that If we compare the Russian and Scan
dinavian forms, Ii will be found that the lat.
ter is tho larger, heavier and deeper in the
shoulder. Ii Is his long body and heightened
hair that gives the body Of the former its appar-
cnt bulk but really the wolf Of northwestern
Europe is tho largest and most formidable
animal of the whole genus.
On the steppes of Chinese Tartary and Thib-
ct the wolf OF northeastern Asia contrasts
strikingly in color. form and character with
the grim and famous wild beast Of the West
The packs that run down the kyang. and kill
the yak and oronco are yelowish. white light
framed animals. like those Col. PreiGyalsky
encountered in Mongolia. and which, while en-
eamped on Lake Ihanco. his dogs easily drove
away from the tents ut night.
As a rule tho wolf disappears in the tropics
Under the sun his salient characteristics of
temper and shape fall away from him: and tho
Creature in Asia tends TO merge In the jacka
and IN America 10 become coyote. Compare
tive anatomists have recorded the structural
features which distinguish this change. but
they need not be recapituIatod here, and 1T
will suffice % say that south Of the Iima-
fnRA lid. lea. l.
nearly allied 20 the golden wolf Of high Asia
than TO any other form Of Canidm This ani.
NAL whose specific identity Sir Walter Elliot
aud Horsheld deny, and Jerdon and Blyth
affirm, Is relatively small and slender, its teeth
are comparatively delicate. its tail Is "thinly
bnshy." aud IL is of dirty reddish white
color" with cloudy white markings II breeds
IN holes in the ground. Ii seldom found IN tho
forests. is either silent or harks like Pariah
dog. aud generally bears little resemblance to
the wolf OF Europe or America. OF the latter.
whether 1T be regarded a true species or not,