1877.] of the Wardwdn and Tipper Chindh Valleys. 285 



I have not come across any specimens of the smaller FelidcB, and- can 

 saj nothing as to their presence in, or absence from, the districts under con- 

 sideration. 



The two species of Himalayan Bear — TIrsus isalellinus and Ursus 

 tihetaniLs — range over the greater part of- our district ; the latter sj^ecies is 

 found generally at a lower elevation and in more forest-clad ground than 

 the former ; JI. isahellinus is found over the whole of the upper Wardwan 

 and Chinab valleys, but does not extend down to the lower elevation of 

 Kishtwiir, and becomes scarce above Triloknath ; it also occurs abundantly 

 to the south of the Chinab in the upper Chamba district. Z7. tihetanus does 

 not, so far as I can learn, extend much higher up the Wardwan valley than 

 the village of Petgam, something over 7000 feet in height ; it is found, 

 chiefly in the forests near the river, along the whole of the Chinab valley 

 from Kishtwar to Tindi, beyond which I have not heard of it ; like the last 

 species it is alse common in Chamba. The north-easterly range of both 

 species (except in the case of a few stragglers) is limited by the ranges of 

 high mountains which separate the Wardwan valley, and the Chinab valley, 

 from the Tibetan regions of Surii and Zanskar. 



Among the CanidcB, Canis (Vidjyes) montanus is exceedingly common 

 throughout the Wardwan and Chinab valleys : I have also ]oi"ocured speci- 

 mens of another large fox* which has some resemblance to the black varie- 

 ties of Canis (Vulpes) leucopus ; but I am by no means certain as to the 

 identity of the two forms, especially as O. leucopus is not mentioned by 

 Jerdon as occurring in the Himalayas. The back of the Chinab form is 

 fulvous, the under-parts and limbs are nearly black, with a few dirty white 

 streaks, the outer surfaces of the ears jet black, and the tail blackish, with 

 a white tip. 



Cuon rutilans, if I may judge by tracks, occurs both in the Chinab 

 and Wardwan valleys. 



Herpestes griseus and Mustela suhliemachelana, which are so common 

 in Kashmir, I have not seen anywhere in the uj^per Chinab or Wardwan 

 valleys. 



On the Chinab, however, I have seen two specimens of a species of 

 weasel, which I cannot identify with any of the species described in Jerdon, 

 unless it be a variety of Mustela hatliiali^ which is only known from Nepal. 

 Unfortunately both times that I saw these animals I had only a rifle with 

 me, so I was unable to procure them. The fur of the body and tail is of a 

 reddish brown colour, and there is a large white blaze on the face, quite 

 different from any described species. 



RODENTTA. 



Marmots occur on the snowy range which separates the Chinab valley 

 from Zanskar, but they do not occur on the range to the south of the 

 * Mr. Blanford tells me that this form is probably C. montanus. 



