123 



THE DESERT-FOX. 



CANIS LEUCOPUS. 



Vulpes leucopus, Blyth, Journal Asiat. Soc. Bpngal, vol. xxiii. p. 729 

 (1854) J id. ibid. xxv. p. 443 j id. ibid. xxvi. p. 239; 

 Jerdon, Mammals of India, p. 151 (186/) ; Gray, Proc. 

 Zool. Soc. 1868, p. 316 ; id. Catalogue of Carnivorous 

 Mammalia, p. 204 ; Murray, Vertebrate Zoology of Siud, 

 p. 37 (1884) ; Blanford, Fauna Brit. India, Mamm. p. 151 

 (1888). 



Vulpes griffilhii, Blyth, Journ. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, vol. xxiii. p. 730 ; 

 Scully, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 5th series, vol. viii. p. 226. 



Vulpes pusillus, Blyth, Journ. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, vol. xxiii. pp. 729, 730 ; 

 Adams, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1858, p. 516 ; Jerdon, Mammals of 

 India, p. 153; Murray, Vertebrate Zoology of Sind, p. 37. 



Vulpes persicus, Blanford, Zoology of Eastern Persia, p. 39, plate 2 

 (1876). 



The Desert-Fox of India inhabits the open country, as does C. corsac, 

 which it undoubtedly resembles, so that it may be but a local variety 

 of the latter, especially as the ears are similar in relative length, and not 

 short as in C. ferrilatm. The end of the tail, however, is white. 

 Moreover, when its furry coat is fully developed, as in the specimen 

 at the British Museum represented in our Plate XXIX., it is a 

 very handsome animal, with very distinct coloration. The colour, how- 

 ever, varies, and the distinct markings are sometimes hardly, if at all, to 

 be detected. Nevertheless, as in the cases of C. mesomelas and C. late- 

 ralis, v?e have treated forms as distinct on account of very exceptional 

 peculiarities, not invariably present in all specimens, we propose to 

 do likewise in the present instance. 



Mr. Jerdon saw this * animal in India, at Umballa, and near Hansi 



* Op. cit, p. 152. 



r2 



