568 CARNIVORES. 



This fox (C cfUJMs) is a still smaller species inhabiting Balu- 

 chistan and the southern parts of Afghanistan, and at present known 

 in Europe by only three specimens. The length of the head and body is only 

 18 inches, and that of the unusually long tail from 15 to 16 inches. It is distin- 

 guished from the preceding species by the more ashy-grey tinge of its fur. 



Loxg-Eared Foxes {Canis chama, zerda, etc.). 



The South African asse fox (C. chama) is the first of a group of four species 



from Africa, two of these being characterised by the extreme length of their ears. 



It is somewhat smaller than the common fox, but it has considerably longer ears, 



and therefore appears to form a kind of transition from the true foxes towards 



the fennecs. It is a yellowish-coloured animal, with some black hairs mingled 



with the light fur of the back, a black tip to the tail, and some chestnut splashes 



on the snout. It inhabits both sides of the Orange River in great and little 



Namaqualaud, and extends eastwards to Kimberlej'. 



This fox (C pallidus) may be distinguished at a glance from the 



preceding, not only hy its much smaller size, but likewise by its 



longer ears and the thinness of the tail. The general colour is a pale j-ellow, with 



a faint tinge of red; the tail having many black haire among the lighter fur, a 



small dark spot on the upper-surface near the root, and a small black tip. In its 



smaller size and longer eai-s, this species approaches still closer to the fennecs. It 



comes from East and West Africa, having been obtained from Senegambia and 



Nubia and Kordofan. 



Eiippell's fennec (C. fameliciu^) is distinguished from all the 

 Ruppell's Fennec. . . . . 



species hitherto noticed by the great length of its ears, although these 



are pi'oportionately smaller than in the trae fennec. It is a smaller animal than 



the pale fox, the length of the head and body being about 19 inches, and that of the 



tail 9i inches ; while the eare measure just over 3 inches in length. This fox has 



a fawn-coloured head, reddish back, shouldei-s, and tail, greyish sides, and nearly 



white imder-parts ; but as it can be so easily recognised bj' its eai-s, it is unnecessary 



to devote further attention to its colouring. Riippell's fennec was originally 



obtained from the Nubian deserts, but either this or a closely -allied species occurs 



in SjTia and parts of Persia, as well as in Afghanistan. 



The last and smallest representative of the genus Canis is the 



pretty little North African fennec (C zerda), in which the total 



length of the head and body is only just over 15i inches, the tail measuring 6f 



inches, and the eai-s being at least 3 inches in length, and sometimes even more. 



The ears, being wide in proportion to their length, are of enormous size compared 



to the head, and thus communicate a remarkable physiognomy to the animal. The 



general colour of the fur of the upper-parts of the fennec varies from a pale fawn 



to buff, the under-parts being white, and the tip of the tail black ; while there may 



be black markings on the upper part of the latter near its root. On the forehead 



and round the ej'es the fur is nearlj^ white ; while the outer surfaces of the ears 



ai'e rufous, and their inner margins have some long and nearly white hairs. 



Sometimes thei'e is a black mark in tjie middle of the hinder-part of the back. 



