144 



RUPPELL'S FENNEC. 



CANIS FAMELICUS. 



Canis famelicus, Ruppell, Zool. Atlas, p. 15, pi. 5 (1826) ; J. A. 

 "Wagner, Suppl. to Schreber's Saugth., Abth. ii. p. 419 ; 

 Lataste, Actes de la Soc. Liimeenne de Bordeaux, 4 e serie, 

 vol. ix. p. 215 (1885). 



THE still longer ears of this species, first described by Ruppell, cause 

 it to more closely resemble the true Fennec (C. zerda) than does any 

 other species of the genus Canis, and we therefore distinguish it by the 

 name of Riippell's Fennec. 



He obtained it from the Nubian desert. 



There is in the National Collection a skin * from Afghanistan, which 

 appears to us, as it has appeared to others, very like Riippell' s famelicus, 

 and therefore we have had it represented on our Plate XXXV. 

 The species, however, greatly needs a thorough investigation, which 

 can only be satisfactorily carried out by means of further specimens 

 from the desert of Nubia. 



The sides are grey, the back and shoulders reddish, and the underparts 

 whitish. The head is fawn-colour, and also a line along the middle of 

 the back to the tail, but the hairs are only of this light colour towards 

 their tips; for the greater part of their length they are, like the 

 underfur, darker. There is a distinct dark mark (which may be a 

 triangular black spot) between the eye and the nose. The cheeks and 

 lips are white. The ears are dark within margined with white ; externally 

 they are fawn-coloured at the base and then black towards the tips, but 



* No. 86. 10. 15. 4. 



