274 MESSRS. DANFORD AND ALSTON ON [ Mar. 20, 
buted throughout the country. It was even met with on the barren 
plateau of the interior. 
An imperfect skin brought home is extremely pale in colour and 
long in the fur, that of the lower parts being light smoky grey ; and 
these characters were constant in all the individuals which Danford 
observed. It very much resembles the type of Vulpes flavescens, 
Gray', originally stated to be from Persia, with which Canon 
Tristram doubtfully identified the Fox of Northern Palestine. But 
Gray subsequently identified his species with Indian specimens, and 
there appear to be doubts as to the locality of the type’. With the 
imperfect material at our command, we think it safest for the 
present to regard the Fox of Asia Minor as a pale long-haired race 
of C. vulpes. 
13. *Mexes Taxus (Schreb.). Porsook. 
Appears to be not uncommon among the mountains. Specimens 
were obtained at Zebil in the Taurus; the fur of one brought home 
is as pale-coloured as that of the Persian Badger separated by Mr. 
Blanford as M. canescens*. Its skull also agrees with that of his 
type specimen in having two lateral ridges on the hinder part of the 
palate; but in other respects it rather resembles European examples, 
and the last upper molar is even broader than in many of the latter, 
measuring *50%°58 in. At present, therefore, we cannot help 
regarding the claim of M. canescens to specific distinction with grave 
suspicion. 
«<The Ratel’”’ is mentioned by Ainsworth as an inhabitant of the 
Taurus, and a species of Ratelus is said by Schmarda to be found in 
Mesopotamia; but Mr. Blanford has suggested a possible confusion 
with the somewhat similarly coloured Badger. 
[Icronyx zorILuA (Thunb.). 
We introduce this species on the authority of Mr. Keith Abbott, 
who sent home a specimen which had been forwarded to him alive 
from the neighbourhood of Erzeroom, where he states it is called 
Gheurjen. Mr. Bennett says that this example scarcely differed from 
a North-African specimen. As far as we are aware, this is the only 
record of the existence of the Zorille in Asia Minor; and it has not 
yet been found in Palestine. ] 
14. *Marres rorna (Linn.). Samsar. 
Tolerably common among the mountains. The skins are in great 
request, and cost considerably more than in England. Some speci- 
mens were obtained in the Taurus; and Ainsworth mentions it as 
inhabiting the Chamkti Bel and Kard Bel mountains. His “‘ Sable” 
is probably either this species or M. abietum. 
15. *Musreva vuieanris, Linn. 
A specimen, shot on the 28th March among the débris of stones 
‘ Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. xi. (1845), p. 118. 
2 Cat. Carn. &e. Mamm. (1869), p. 203. Cf. Blanford tom. cit. p. 40. 
3 Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. xvi. (1875), p. 310; Eastern Persia, ii. pl. iii. 
