154 



Dimensions of Himalayan specimens. Length of head and body 

 24 to 25 inches, tail with hair at the end 18 to 20, without 14| to 

 17, tarsus and hind foot nearly 6, height 14 to 15 inches ; weight 

 (according to Jerdon) 14 Ibs. A Himalayan skull measures 4*9 

 inches in basal length by 2*7 broad. 



Varieties. There is a considerable amount of variation, both in 

 size and colour, exhibited by the different races of the common 

 fox, and there is, as yet, much difference of opinion amongst natu- 

 ralists as to whether these different races should be distinguished 

 by specific names. The fox of Northern and Central Europe is 

 rather larger than the Himalayan fox and much redder ; but the 

 variety inhabiting Southern Europe, Canis melanoyaster of Bona- 

 parte, approaches more nearly in colour to the Himalayan race. 

 The large Central-Asian fox, V. flavescens, Gray, is a paler- 

 coloured and yellower animal as a rule, with very thick fur in 

 winter and a superb brush. It occurs within our limits in Ladak 

 and other parts of Western Tibet, and is found throughout Eastern 

 Tibet and in some of the higher Himalayan valleys south of the 

 main range; also in Eastern Turkestan, Northern Persia, and 

 probably in other parts of Central Asia. It is also, I believe, the 

 form found in Afghanistan. I have not been able to examine any 

 series of skulls from other localities, but those from Eastern 

 Turkestan are larger than Himalayan specimens (one of a female 

 measures 5 - 45 inches long and 3*15 broad), and equal in size to 

 those of the European fox, whilst the teeth are larger even than in 

 the latter. But it is extremely doubtful if these characters are 

 constant, for there is much variation amongst European foxes. It 

 appears to me that all the large Palaearctic red foxes, together with 

 the North- American cross-fox, C. fulvus or pennsylvanicus, must 

 be considered varieties or races of one species. 



Distribution. Of these races two are found within the limits of 

 the Indian fauna -V. alopex var. montana of the Western Hima- 

 layas, which is described above and is found from Nepal to Kash- 

 mir and Gilgit; and F". alopex var. faivesceng, the paler, rather 

 larger Central-Asiatic form, occurring in the higher Himalayas, 

 in Tibet, and probably in Afghanistan. No foxes are known to 

 occur in Sikhim or the Eastern Himalayas except close to the 

 snows, and it is doubtful whether any are found in Nepal. 

 Hodgson's specimens were from Simla. Beyond Indian limits the 

 species is found throughout the greater part of the Pala3arctic and 

 (if the views above expressed be correct) Nearctic regions. 



Habits. The Himalayan fox lives in brushwood and cultivated 

 land, from an elevation of 5000 or 6000 feet upwards, frequently 

 haunting the neighbourhood of human habitations and feeding 

 upon such birds and small mammals as he can capture. He is 

 very destructive to partridges, pheasants, and other game-birds, 

 and often carries off poultry. In Europe, wherever rabbits are 

 common,* foxes live chiefly upon them. The Central- Asiatic 

 variety lives in open country, hiding in burrows or amongst bushes 

 or rocks by day. Like all other foxes, this species, besides killing 



