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Show 766 ON THE CECUM OF THE RED WOLF. [Dec. 16, 1. On the Caecum of the Red Wolf (Canis jubatus, Desm.). By W . H. FLOWER, LL.D., F.R.S., P.Z.S. [Eeceived November 11, 1879.] A simple cylindrical caecum, closely folded several times upon itself, was formerly supposed to be a characteristic of the Canidae, as all the species which had been dissected up to 1873 agreed generally in the form of this organ. The numerous opportunities of dissecting members of the group which have occurred at the Society's Gardens, have, however, afforded our late Prosector the means of demonstrating that the generalization had been made upon too narrow a basis. Caecum of the Eed Wolf (Canis jubatus); half the size of nature. Cm. Caecum. C. Colon, i. Ilium. The first exception discovered was the South-American Canis cancrivorus (P.Z.S. 1873, p. 748), which has a comparatively short csecum with only a slight curve; and in communicating the observation, Mr. Garrod remarked that it would be interesting to know whether the other South-American Canidae agree with C. cancrivorus in the simplicity and shortness of their caeca. In a subsequent communication (P. Z. S. 1878, p. 373) Mr. Garrod reverted to the subject, and showed that, of the various species he had dissected, Nyctereutes procyonides (from North-east Asia) alone agreed with Canis cancrivorus in having a nearly straight csecum, while C. laniger, C. lagopus, Canthus, C.fulvus, C. antarcticus, C. azaree, Otocyon lalandi, and Lycaon pictus conform with the type of Canis familiaris, and C. aureus and C. famelicus have the organ |