237 



beneath j ears long, dark-brown externally ; tail long, bushy with 

 a broad black tip ; muzzle very acute ; chin and throat whitish. 



Length, head and body, 21 to 22 inches ; tail 12 to 14 inches ; 

 weight of a male about 7 Ibs. 



This pretty little fox varies a good deal in the shades of color in 

 different localities, and according to season. The fur just after it has 

 assumed its winter coat is very beautiful, a purer gray on the 

 body contrasting with the rufous limbs. The legs are remarkably 

 slender ; the tail is very bushy. 



This fox is found throughout India, rare in the forest countries, 

 very abundant in open country. At night it often comes into 

 cantonments and gardens, but does not appear to molest poultry 

 in general. Mr. Elliot says : " Its principal food is rats, land 

 crabs, grasshoppers, beetles, &c., &c. On one occasion a half- 

 devoured mango was found in the stomach. 



# # * 



The next species, though so similar in general appearance to the 

 last, that it is often confounded with it by sportsmen, is placed by 

 Blyth in restricted Vulpes. 



No. 139. Vulpes Leucopus. Blyth, Cat 135. 

 The Desert Fox. 



Light fulvous on the face, middle of back and upper part of tail ; 

 cheeks, sides of neck and body, inner side and most of the fore- 

 part of limbs white ; shoulder and haunch, and outside of the 

 limbs nearly to the middle joint, mixed black and white ; tail 

 darker at the base above, largely tipped with white ; lower parts 

 nigrescent ; ears black posteriorly ; fur soft and fine as in V. 

 montanus, altogether dissimilar from that of V. bengalensis. The 

 skull with the muzzle distinctly narrower, and the lower jaw 

 weaker. 



One I killed at Hissar had the upper parts fulvous, the hair 

 black tipped ; sides paler ; whole lower parts from the chin includ- 

 ing the inside of the arm and thigh, blackish ; feet white on the 

 inner side and anteriorly, with a blackish border on the anterior 

 limbs ; legs fuvous externally ; all feet white ; tail always with a 

 white tip. 



