736 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXII. 



breeding place near Simla. So far as I am aware the Wild Dog does not 

 occiir in any of these tracts, but the breeding place referred to is apparent- 

 ly the one mentioned by Colonel Markham in his " Shooting in the 

 Himalayas," p. 175, as being situated high up the Gangoutrie Valley, which 

 is in the State of Tehri-Garhwal. 



16. Vtjlpes bengalensis, Shaw. — The Indian Fox. 



(Blanford No. 72.) 



This species is common around Kalka (2,400 feet), but does not enter the 

 hills. 



It breeds about February. I have never found more than two cubs at a 

 time, and can corroborate what Jerdon says about the youngsters seldom 

 leaving their earths till nearly full grown. 



17, VuLPES VULPES MONTANA, Pearson, — The Hill Fox. 

 (Blanford No, 75 [partim.'^ 



(Simla Hill States, " Phaouta," " Chaura " ; Tibetan==" Goanu ".) 



This very handsome animal is common at Simla, especially in the cold 

 weather, and is found throughout these hills. 



Mr. Johnstone informs me that he has seen it at Kalka during the 

 winter months, and has actually shot it at that season as low down as 

 Chandigarh (elevation 1,500 feet.) 



It brings forth its young about April-May. Unlike the Indian Fox 

 the cubs of this species, even when quite young, appear to come out 

 regularly from their earths in the evenings, and have a romp with their 

 mother. A gentleman here informs me that in 1912 he frequently came 

 across one of these foxes, with two young cubs, on the top of the Tara 

 Devi Hill (7,000 feet). 



18. Martes flavigula, Bodd. — The Indian Marten. 

 (Blanford No. 77.) 



(Simla Hill States (outer ranges)=" Kundrialoo," " Dikianee.") 



The Indian Marten is tolerably common, at all seasons, throughout the 

 outer ranges. I have seen it on the Shalli Hill (elevation 8,000 feet) in 

 winter. 



It is difficult to procure owing to its habit of being constantly on the 

 move, and rapidly changing ground from one spot to another. It usually 

 keeps in pairs, occasionally in small parties — as many as seven individuals 

 have been noticed together — and is to be seen at any time of the day, and 

 anywhere, in brushwoods, coppices, ravines, or by the sides of cultivation. 



it is most destructive to game birds in these hills, and is one of the 

 several frequent unwelcome visitors of the poultry yards in the station 

 here. It is very frugivorous. It is an excellent tree climber, and a very 

 fair sprinter on ground. 



A young of this species, about a month or a month-and-a-half old, was 

 caught in the station towards the latter end of July, but it died shortly 

 afterwards. 



The hillmen have a curious story about this animal. They say that 

 when food gets scarce in the winter months, it visits the beehives in the 

 villages, and secures the honey by inserting its tail into the exit holes, 

 which are left in the walls for the bees. The honey is supposed to adhere 

 to the long hairs of the tail, and the animal licks it ofi', and repeats the- 

 process till its appetite is satiated or nothing remains in the hive ! 

 19, MusTELA, Sp. — Weasels, ^-c. 



A Weasel, belonging to the above Genus, was observed by me in the 

 day, near my poultry-yard, during the winter of 1909; but it escaped 



