490 On new Mammals from Arahia and Persia. 



grizzled witli -\vliite on the posterior half of the back. This 

 rich colour is not confined to a narrow dorsal area, but extends 

 over tlie whole upper surface, crown, nape, back, and sides. 

 Individually the hairs are brownish basally, rich ochraceous 

 terminally, with a whitish subtermiiial band in the posterior 

 dorsal ring. Muzzle reddish brown. Backs of ears orang-e- 

 fulvous at their anterior bases, deep black terminally. Belly 

 and proximal part of limbs a rich deep reddish, between 

 " hazel " and " ochraceous-rufous " of Ridgway ; lips and 

 chin greyish; chest white, with brown bases to the hairs. 

 Hands and feet very thickly furred, grizzled black above, red 

 on the sides and, more dully, below. Tail very large and 

 thick, forming a fine brush of a fulvous nearly as vivid as 

 that of the body; some of the hairs black-tipped and all with 

 greyish bases ; a distinct white tip to the tail. 



Skull stout and heavy, with a large rounded braiii-case ; 

 decidedly larger than in the southern Persian and Arabian 

 forms — more as in Siberian examples. Frontal region more 

 or less convex, less markedly tiattened tiian usual, luter- 

 orbilal and intertemporal region broad. 



Dimensions of the type (measured in skin) : — 



Head and body 780 millim. ; tail 490; hind foot 162; 

 car 93. 



Skull : basal length 132 ; zygomatic breadth 77 ; intei- 

 orbital breadth 29; intertemporal breadth 2Q'6 ; breadth of 

 brain-case ^8; palate length 70 ; length of />* (outside) 14; 

 greatest diameter of m^ 13"3, of m* 8, combined length of 

 two latter teeth 15. 



Hab. Astrabad, N. Persia. 



Type. B.M. no. 83. 2. 10. 1. Collected by Lieut.-Col. 

 Beresford-Lovett. 



This magnificent fox exceeds in the richness of its colora- 

 tion any Old- World form with which I am acquainted. Not 

 only is the fulvous of its upper surface far brighter than in 

 other races, but the deep rich rufous of its belly distinguishes 

 it from all its allies. Still it is no doubt only a local race of 

 the common fox, and would grade westwards into V. vuljjes^ 

 southwards into V. v. flavescens^ and eastwards into V. v. 

 'moiifana. 



AIus sylvaticus Witherbyi^ subsp. n. 



A mouse of the J/, sylvaticus group, with pure white belly 

 and very small teeth. 



Size as in small forms of M. sylvaticus. General colour 

 pale grey, but cheeks and sides clear fulvous, which is no 

 doubt the colour of the whole upper surface when in fully 



