in beauty according to the age of the animal. The young cubs/of a few months old, are
covered with a long, coarse, white hair, which protects the fine down that lies beneath it.
The natives often pluck off this coarse hair, when the lower fur appears like velvet, of a
beautiful brown colour. As they increase in size, the long hair falls off, and the fur becomes
blackish, but still remains short. When the animal is full grown, it becomes of a jet black,
and increases in beauty; the fur then thickens, and is thinly sprinkled with white hairs.
When they are past the age of perfection, and verge towards old age, their skin changes
into a dark brown, dingy colour, and of course diminishes in value. The skins of those killed
in the winter are of a more beautiful black, and in every respect more perfect than those
which are taken in the summer and autumn. The male Otter is beyond all comparison more
beautiful than the female, and is distinguished by the superior jetty colour, as well as velvety
appearance of his skin ; whereas the head, throat and belly of the female, are not only covered
with fur that is white, but which is also of a very coarse texture. The skins in the highest
estimation are those which have the belly and throat plentifully interspersed with a kind of
brilliant silver hairs, while the body is covered with a thick black fur, of extreme fineness,
and a silky gloss-*.
[22.] 1. Canis lupus, occidentalis. The American Wolf.
Genus. Canis. Linn.
Missouri Wolf. Lewis and Clark, vol. i. p. 283.
Canis Lupus. Sabine, Franklin's Joum., p. 654. Sabine (Ca p t .), Parry's Voy., Supply clxxxv.
Richardson, Parry's Second Voy., App., p. 295.
Wolf. Lyon’s Private Journal, pp. 151, 339, &c.
The Common Wolves of the Old and New World have been generally
supposed to be the same species—the Canis lupus of Linnaeus. The American
naturalists have, indeed, described some of the northern kinds of Wolf as distinct;
but it never seems to have been doubted that a Wolf, possessing all the
characters of the European Wolf, exists within the limits of the United States.
* Not having been on the coasts where the Sea Otter is produced, I can add nothing to its history from my own
observation, and I have preferred taking the description of the fur from one who was engaged in the trade, to extracting
a scientific account of the animal from systematic works, which are in the hands of every naturalist. In the
narrative of Captain Cook’s voyage, it is mentioned that a young Sea Otter brought on board had six lower incisors.
Steller, and all succeeding systematic writers, describe it as having six incisors above and four below. Probably two
of the lower ones'drop out before the animal becomes adult.
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. I have seen none of these Brown
Wolves ; but if 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, during the whole of which time I had almost
daily opportunities of observing the form and manners of the Wolves, but I 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.
D E S C R I P T IO N .
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 a 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 intermixed
with it. Its head is narrower, and tapers gradually to form the nose, which is pro-
Griffith’s Animal Kingdom, vol. ii. p. 348.