202 DR. J. SCULLY ON THE MAMMALS OF GILGIT. [Jau. 1 8> 



hiding during the day in rocky ground or in the dry beds of smal 

 mountain-streams. In winter the Wolves frequently prowl about 

 houses during the night, to the great annoyance of the dogs; and 

 they often kill goats and sheep. The young are born early in 

 May. 



My specimens of this animal from Gilgit have the upper carnas- 

 sial tooth slightly longer than the two upper molars, and are there- 

 fore probably distinct from C. pallipes and C. laniger, in which the 

 fourth uppe'r premolar is shorter than the two upper molars 

 together (Blanford, P. A. S. B. 1877, p. 116). In size and colora- 

 tion, moreover, the Gilgit Wolf agrees with the European species. 



13. Cyon PRiM.^ivus, Hodgs. 



Cuon primcevus, Hodgson, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1833, p. Ill; Asiatic 

 Researches, xviii. p. 221. 



This species appears to be widely distributed in the Astor and 

 Gilgit districts, and is said to be found in Yassin and Chitral ; its 

 habits are very well known. A specimen from Gilgit agrees in all 

 particulars with examples from Nepal and other parts of the Hima- 

 layas. In all the skulls of this species which I have examined the 

 upper sectorial tooth is longer than the two upper molars taken 

 together ; the reverse is the case in C. alpinus of Pallas, from the 

 Altai. 



14. VULPES MONTANA, PcarSOH. 



Vulpes montana, Pearson, J. A. S. B. 1S3G, p. 313: Blanford, 

 J. A. S. B. 1877, ii. p. 324, and 1879, p. 95. 



Foxes are very common in the Astor and Gilgit districts, in 

 Hunza, Nagar, Yassin, and Chitral. About Gilgit the Hill-Fox is 

 found on stony ground, in the vicinity of cultivation, at elevations of 

 from 5000 feet to 10,000 feet. The young are born in May. 



In a large series of these Foxes which I have, there is great 

 variation in colour, some being pale yellowish fulvous above and 

 white below {V. Jlavescens, Gray), while others are very dark and 

 rufous above, with the underparts black ; but all intermediate forms 

 occur. Th.ere are also some minor differences in the skulls and in 

 the size of the teeth ; but I cannot find that these are correlated 

 with the differences in colour of the pelage. According to Mr. 

 Blanford's views there are in the Gilgit district, besides V. mon- 

 tana, three other species or races, viz. V. melanotus (? ), V. g-riffithi, 

 and V . flavescens ; but I doubt if these forms are more than varie- 

 ties. A fox shot by Major Biddulph in Chitral is not distinguishable 

 from some examples of V. montana from Simla. 



15. Martes foina (Erxl.). 



Mustela foina, Erxleben, Syst. Reg. An. p. 458 (1777). 



The Beech-Marten is common in the Gilgit district, and in 

 Hunza, Nagar, and Yassin, where great numbers are killed by the 

 natives for the sake of the fur. This Marten- usually keeps high up 



