Ruppell's Travels in North Africa. 38/ 



" ad apicem annulis nlgris duobus." It was obtained in Nubia, on 

 the \vestern side of the Nile, at Ambukol. The latter, the Felis Chaus, 

 appears to have been hitherto imperfectly known, having been frequently 

 confounded with another inhabitant of the same countries, the Felis 

 caligata, or Booted Lynx of Bruce. The Felis Chaus is thus charac- 

 tertized : " Felis corpore griseo, subflavo, passim nigro undulato ; cauda 

 " mediocri, ad apicem nigra, apicemque versus nigro annu lata ; auriculis 

 " extus nigricantibus, apice nigro barbatis." The length of the tail, 

 it should be remarked, does not exceed one-third of that of the body. 



No less than seven species of Canis have been collected by M. Ruppell, 

 the whole of which are here figured and described. 1. The Fennec, 

 Canis Zerda, Zimm., " Can. corpore supra stramineo sive isabeUino, 

 " infra albescente; auriculis maximis, niarginibus internis pilis longi- 

 " oribus albis vestitis; caudae apice, et basi supra, nigricantibus." Of 

 this rare animal, the true nature of which was so little understood pre- 

 viously to the travels of Colonel Denham into the interior of Africa, 

 three specimens have been transmitted to Frankfort. They are all 

 perfectly ahke in markings, and differ little from each other in size. 

 They were found in the neighbourhood of Ambukol, and in the Desert 

 of Korti, where they live in holes dug by themselves, and not on trees, 

 as was pertinaciously asserted by Bruce. — 2. Canis famelicus, " Can. 

 " capite ochraceo ; fascia dorsali castanea ; corpore supra ex griseo 

 " flavescente, infra ex subflavo albescente; auriculis permagnis erectis." 

 This character is derived from the examination of seven specimens, 

 collected partly in the Deserts of Nubia, and partly in Kordofan. The 

 species is nearly related to the Fennec, which it resembles also in its 

 habits. It is probably the fox-like animal represented on the monuments 

 of ancient Egypt; as the Jackall, Canis aureus, Linn., does not appear to 

 exist either there or in the immediately adjoining countries. — 3. Canis 

 variegatus, " Can. corpore ochraceo pilis villosis perlongis ad apicem 

 " nigerrimis variegato ; auriculis erectis, unicoloribus, ochraceis ; caud^ 

 " breviori; unguibus cmssis, obtusis." This species vras found in 

 Nubia and Upper Egypt, where it lives in the Deserts, but does not 

 burrow like the two preceding. — 4. Canis pallidus, " Can. capite, ■ 

 " nucha, torque, toto notseo et cauda ex colore stramineo pallide rufes- 

 " centibus ; regione parotica, gutture, pectore, gastrseo albescentibus ; 



