Toda lattice hierarchy and generalized string equations

String equations of thep ^th generalized Kontsevich model and the compactifiedc=1 string theory are re-examined in the language of the Toda lattice hierarchy. As opposed to a hypothesis postulated in the literature, the generalized Kontsevich model atp=–1 does not coincide with thec=1 string theory at selfdual radius. A broader family of solutions of the Toda lattice hierarchy including these models is constructed, and shown to satisfy generalized string equations. The status of a variety ofc1 string models is discussed in this new framework.