erally
placed in this group. On the other hand, the North American coyote
(_C. latrans_), with its numerous subspecies, and the Old World
jackals, such as the Indo-European _C. aureus_ the Indian _C.
pallipes_, and the African _C. lupaster, C. anthus, C. adustus, C.
variegatus_ and _C. mesomelas_ (the black-backed jackal), although
closely related to the wolves, have been placed in a separate group
under the name of _Lupulus_. Again, _Thous_ (or _Lycalopex_), is a
group proposed for certain South American _Canidae_, locally known as
foxes, and distinguished from all the foregoing by their fox-like
aspect and longer tails, although with skulls of the thooid type.
Among these are the bright-coloured colpeo, _C. magellanicus_, the
darker _C. thous, C. azarae, C. griseus, C. cancrivorus_ and _C.
brasiliensis_. Some of these, such as _C. azarae_ and _C. griseus_,
show a further approximation to the fox in that the pupil of the eye
forms a vertical slit. More distinct from all the preceding are the
members of the alopecoid or vulpine section, which are unknown in
South America. The characteristic feature of the skull has been
already mentioned. In addition to this, reference may be made to the
elliptical (in place of circular) pupil of the eye, and the general
presence of ten (rarely eight) teats instead of a smaller number. The
typical groups constituting the subgenus (or genus) _Vulpes_, is
represented by numerous species and races spread over the Old World
and North America. Foremost among these is the European fox (_C.
vulpes_--otherwise _Vulpes alopex_, or _V. vulpes_), represented in
the Himalaya by the variety _C. v. montanus_ and in North Africa by
_C. v. niloticus_, while the North American _C. pennsylvanicus_ or
_fulvus_, can scarcely be regarded as more than a local race. On the
other hand, the Asiatic _C. bengalensis_ and _C. corsac_, and the
North American _C. velox_ (kit-fox) are smaller and perfectly distinct
species. From all these the North American _C. cinereo-argentatus_
(grey fox) and _C. littoralis_ are distinguished by having a fringe of
stiff hairs in the tail, whence they are separated as _Urocyon_.
Again, the Arctic fox (_C. lagopus_), of which there is a blue and a
white phase, has the tail very full and bushy and the soles of the
feet thickly haired, and has hence been distinguished as _Leucocyon_.
Lastly, we have the elegant lit