64 CARNIVORA. 



Canis melanogaster. 



Cants melanogaster, Buon. Faun. Ital. (figured) ; Ham. Smith, Nat. 



Lib. vol. v. 

 The Black-bellied Fox. 



Description. — Differs from Canis Vulpes in having the 

 throat, breast, helly, and inside of the thighs black, with 

 a hoary appearance on the surface, arising from the cir- 

 cumstance of the tips of many of the hairs on those parts 

 being white ; the under part of the tail, which is very bushy 

 and reaches to the ground, has a black streak throughout 

 its entire length, and in mature individuals is white at the 

 extreme tip, grisly at base, with ten or eleven blackish 

 rings. All the parts of the body described as black become 

 white in summer, a darkish shade, however, remaining on 

 the breast; the fur on the head becomes much darker. 

 The head is larger in proportion, equaling about one-third 

 of the length of the body, that of the 0. Vulpes being only 

 equal to one-fourth ; the paws of the fore-feet smaller in 

 proportion to those of the hind-feet than in that species, 

 and the whole animal rather inferior to it in size. 



Jja. its habits it resembles the Common Fox. 



Frequents the whole of Continental Italy (excepting 

 Piedmont and Lombardy), Sicily, and Sardinia, in which last 

 island it is smaller. Yery common about Eome, where it is 

 the only species. 



Canis Lagopus. 



Canis Lagopus, Desm. Mamm. Sp. 305 ; Pallas, Zoog. Ross. As. 

 The Arctic Fox. Blue Fox. 



Description. — Fur very long, thick and soft, ashy grey or 

 uniform light brown in summer, white in winter. Head 

 short; muzzle prolonged; ears velvety; paws covered with 

 long hair ; tail long and very bushy. Fur on the body about 

 2 inches in length. Young animal sometimes of a very dark 



