102 THE COMMON FOX. 



In a specimen chosen for measurement we found the dimensions 

 to be : 



Centimeters. 



Length from snout to root of tail 7TO 



of tail 29-0 



from heel to end of longest digit 15*0 



of ear 6'8 



Skeletal and Dental Characters. 



Although if we compare the skull of a fox with that of a wolf or 

 jackal we are struck with the length and slenderness of the muzzle, 

 yet we have found it impossible to detect any constant cranial or 

 dental characters which shall serve to distinguish these species from 

 some of those already noticed or shortly to be noticed. At first it 

 seemed that the backward elongation of the nasals compared with 

 that of the maxillae might answer such a purpose, but an extended 

 survey showed us that the former might or might not reach further 

 backwards than the latter. The same remark applies to differences as 

 to the form of the postorbital processes, or as to whether those 

 processes are or are not concave dorsally. 



The dimensions of the various skeletal parts, in a specimen selected 

 by us as an example, are as follows : 



Centimeters. 



Length of cervical vertebrae ll'O 



dorsal 14'5 



lumbar 12'2 



sacral 2'3 



caudal 3'4 



Length from front of atlas to hinder end of sacrum . . 40'0 



Length of whole pectoral limb 30'0 



whole pelvic 35'0 



humerus 10'3 



radius 9'5 



femur 10'5 



tibia 11-6 



index metacarpal 3*4 



