150 , CANID^B. 



( Cicer arietinum) and other vegetables ; whilst both he and McMaster 

 have observed it feeding on termites or white auts, especially the 

 winged forms that emerge in flights in the hot season. McMaster 

 relates having once near Hyderabad, in the Deccan, seen a fox 

 spring out of the grass and catch moth after moth as they passed 

 him just before dusk. 



The burrows in which the Indian fox lives and breeds are usually 

 situated in open plains, sometimes in thorny scrub, a slight rise in 

 the ground, the bund of a tank or other artificial elevation being 

 selected in places liable to be flooded in the rainy season. There 

 are several openings to each burrow, some of them blind, others 

 leading to a larger central chamber, two or three feet below the 

 surface. Jerdon relates that on two occasions he ran foxes to 

 holes in hollow trees. 



The Indian fox does not exhale the strong odour characteristic 

 of the European species, and is said to afford but little scent to 

 dogs. F". bengalensis is but rarely hunted with foxhounds, partly 

 on this account, partly because of its numerous earths. It, how- 

 ever, is frequently coursed with greyhounds, and gives a good run 

 with Arab, Persian, or half English dogs, pure-bred English hounds 

 being too fast. It doubles in a most dexterous manner, taking 

 advantage of every accident of the ground, such as a ditch or 

 ravine, and frequently making good its escape to earth or into 

 bushes. McMaster, who writes enthusiastically about this game 

 little animal, says he was once beaten by a tired fox, that escaped 

 the dogs by running amongst a herd of sheep and cattle. 



In its movements this animal is quick, active and graceful. 

 Jerdon notices that the tail is carried trailing when the fox is going 

 slowly or hunting for food, horizontal when running, and almost 

 erect when making a sudden turn. 



This fox is easily tamed and is said to be an amusing pet, free 

 from smell and cleanly it its habits. It is not often kept tame as 

 it is believed to be liable to attacks of rabies. There is, however, 

 some probability that such cases as have occurred, if not caused by 

 infection, may have been due to too close confinement. 



The breeding takes place in burrows. The pairing-time varies 

 according to locality from November to January, and the young, 

 almost always four in number, are produced from February to 

 April. At this season the female is seldom to be met with after 

 sunrise, and the cubs are very rarely seen outside their earth till 

 nearly full-grown. 



73. Vulpes cana. The hoary Fox. 



Vulpes canus, W. Blanford, J. A. S. . xlvi, pt. 2. p. 321 (1877) ; 

 Sdater, P. Z. S. 1878, p. 392. 



Poh, Baluch. ; Sitrba-shdkdl (cat-jackal), Persian of Kandahar. 



Size A r ery small ; tail long and bushy ; fur long and very soft. 

 Skull (in the only specimen examined) destitute of any sagittal 



