BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON. 



The following diagnosis is sufficient for purposes of identifi 

 cation : 



VULPES MACROTIS sp. nov. 



Type No. -2_, male, younsr adult, Merriam Collection. 

 2324 



RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA, NOA^EMBER i, 1885. F. STEPHENS. 



EXTERNAL CHARACTERS. Size, small, equalling or a little 

 less than that of Vulpes velox; ears long and broad, relatively 

 much larger than in any other North American fox, and well 

 haired on both sides ; muzzle, legs, and tail long and slender, 

 the latter a little longer than the body, and about as slender as 

 in Urocyon virginianus. Soles well haired, the plantar tuber 

 cles being entirely concealed. 



COLOR. Upper parts grizzled-gray, palest on the head and 

 darkest on the back ; terminal fourth of tail nearly black ; sides, 

 upper surface of legs, and pectoral band pale fulvous ; under 

 parts white mixed with pale ochraceous-bufF. In the only speci 

 men at hand the general color is almost as pale as that of V. velox. 

 This is due to the fact that the pure white sub-apical zone of each 

 hair is much enlarged, while the black terminal portion tapers 

 rapidly into a much attenuated, awn-shaped point, the result 

 being that the white predominates over the black. The dorsal 

 hairs are short for a fox, and the pale buff of the under fur shows 

 through, thus completing the combination which gives to the 

 back its grizzled-gray appearance. There is no indication of a 

 dorsal stripe on either back or tail. The convex surface of the 

 ear is well covered with short fur which is pale fulvous in color, 

 and mixed with iron gray, except at the base posteriorly where 

 the gray is nearly absent. The margin of the ear is white, as 

 are the long hairs bordering it inside. Between the white border 

 and the grizzled fulvous of the upper surface of the ear there is 

 an indistinct dark line. The base of the ear in front is covered 

 by a dense growth of fur and hair which completely hides the 



