The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Fox-dog

FOX-DOG, a name given by certain naturalists to the wild dogs of South America, because of their fox-like appearance. Among these are the crab-eating dog (C. cancrivorous); the zono, or Azara's dog (C. azaræ), of which the “colpeo” of the pampas and southward is probably a local variety; the small-eared Brazilian dog (C. microtis, of Mivart), and two other aberrant Brazilian dogs (C. urostictus, and C. parvidens) for which a separate genus (Nothocyon) has been proposed by Wortman. All these animals have a striking external resemblance in color and form to the foxes, and connect them with the typical dogs. They are not well known, however. Consult Mivart in the 'Proceedings' of the Zoological Society of London (1890) ; Beddard, 'Mammalia' (1902), and writers upon the zoology of South America. See Bush-dog.