[AS.] A carnivorous animal of the Dog family. It is very cruel, fierce, and destructive, but is capable of great affection. In many respects it is like a neglected savage dog. It does not bark, but gives a hoarse howl; nor does it lap like the dog, but drinks by sucking. There are many kinds, varied in size, thickness of fur, and in color. The ordinary color is a yellowish gray, but there are also black, brown, and white wolves. They are found in Europe, Asia, and North America, but not in South America or Africa. Wolves do not lie in ambush, but run down their prey in open chase, their favorite prey being the allied species of the domestic dog and the Arctic fox. The coyote or American prairie wolf and the Japanese wolf are smaller species than the ordinary wolf or Canis lupus.