246 THE HIMALAYA FOX. 



is reported to be of greater size than the American 

 silver-fox, with larger ears, and entirely of a velvet- 

 black, without silvery hairs on the forehead, or 

 sides, but with the tip of the tail white. A single 

 skin of this animal, when in perfect fur, is valued 

 at four hundred rubles, on account of its beauty 

 and rarity ; the species being extremely subtle and 

 rare in Kamschatka, whence tlie furs are mostly 

 transported into the Chinese dominions. 



The Himalaya Fox (Vulpes Himalaicus; V. 

 Nepalensis ? V. montanus. Perry ?) described by 

 Mr. Ogilby in Mr. Royle's Flora Himalaka, is a 

 species nearly allied to the common fox, but supe- 

 rior in size and the brilliancy of its colours. It 

 measures two feet six inches in length, and the tail 

 one foot six inches ; the ears are four inches long ; 

 the height at the shoulder one foot four inches. 

 Like the common, the ears are black on the outside, 

 and the anterior part of the legs is of the same co- 

 lour. The fur is long, dense, and fine, lying smooth 

 in any direction, over a bluish or brownish under- 

 wool, each hair having a yellowish white ring and 

 a bright bay tip, producing on the upper surface of 

 the head, the neck, and back, a full and brilliant 

 red ; the sides of the neck, the throat, ribs and 

 flanks, are pure white, changing to a light smoky 

 blue on the last mentioned parts; the lips and 

 thighs are slightly hoary, and the whole under sur- 

 face is smoky brown ; the brush is large, and full- 

 coloured like the back, with a white tip. It is 

 found but rarely in Nepal, but more common in 



