150 Mr. 0. Thomas on 



Hob. Desert of Sechura, "N.W. Peru. Type from Sullana ; 

 other examples from Amotape and Catacaos. 



Type (male). Original number 448. Collected 12th July, 

 1899, by Mr. Perry O. Simons. Five skins and six skulls 

 examined. 



This fox is clearly a northern representative of C. griseus 

 and gracilis (which are doubtfully different from each other), 

 but is interestingly modified for a desert life. In this modifi- 

 cation it has taken on a considerable resemblance to the Old- 

 World jackals, just as the desert-mouse described below re- 

 sembles the desert-gerbilles of Africa and Asia. As a species 

 it may be readily distinguished from its allies by its short 

 coarse fur, scanty underfur, grey instead of rufous head, 

 bright rufous ears, less blackened chin, more fulvous belly, 

 and other details. 



As usual in describing specimens relating to Chilian 

 animals, I have been much indebted to the excellent material 

 contributed to the British Museum by Mr. J. A. Wolffsohn, 

 of Valparaiso, and it is by the help of his specimens of the 

 " Chilla" that I have been able to make out the relationship 

 of this interesting Peruvian fox. 



Sciurus stramineus guayanus^ subsp. n. 



Mr. SimoiiS has sent from Sapotillo and other places to the 

 north of the Sechura Desert a series of a squirrel answering 

 precisely to the description of S. Nehouxii *, Is. Geoff., and 

 showing that instead of being an individual variation of 

 ;S^. stramineus, as had been supposed by Alston, that form, 

 which is characterized by a prominent white nuchal patch, is 

 at least locally constant. The type specimen was obtained at 

 Paita, perhaps sent down from the interior. 



On the other hand, the typical specimens of Macroxus 

 Fraseri, Gray, from " Ecuador," agree fairly well wnth the 

 original figure of S. stramitieusj Eyd. & Soul., and may be 

 considered to represent the typical form of that species. 



Compared with these two subspecies, the squirrel found 

 west of Gua} aquil seems to form a third definable race, for 

 which 1 would suggest the above name, and would describe 

 as follows : — 



No white nuchal patch. 



General colour of back grey, the hairs tipped with white 

 as in INebouxti, quite unlike the dark colour of typicus ; rump 

 and base of tail orange-rufous ; nose white ; face brown, 

 finely sprinkled with yellowish ; ears grizzled brown and 



• Keferences to all the names here quoted are given by Alston, P, Z. S. 

 1878, p. 664. 



