278 Notice of the Mammals of Tibet. [No. 124. 



Canid^e. 



7. Genus Canis. Tame dogs abound, and are much prized by the 

 men for guarding the flocks and herds and houses, and by the women for 

 petting. For the former purpose the Tibetan mastiff is used, of which 

 there are several varieties, black, black and tan, or red with more or 

 less of white. Some have the fifth toe behind. The breed at Lassa 

 and Digurchee are the largest and best. They are good tempered, but 

 dull and heavy, except on their night watch, and are utterly useless for 

 sporting. Nor are any other breeds cultivated for sporting. The la- 

 dies dogs are Poodles and Terriers, many of which are pretty, and have 

 long soft hair. The latter flourish in Nepal ; the former cannot en- 

 dure our heat. The Chinese at Lassa and Digurchee fatten the Poodles 

 for the table. 



8. Genus Cuon, C. Primaevus. The wild clogs of the Cis-Hima- 

 layan regions are found also in Tibet, but rarely. I have four skins from 

 Lassa, but they are all of very young animals. The breed of Tibet 

 is large, and of a pale wolf-like colour. 



9. Genus Vulpes, V. Montanus. Yet commoner in Tibet than on 

 this side of the snows. I have 8 or 9 skins from Lassa, which offer no 

 subject for remark. 



10. Vulpes Ferrilatus, Mihi, new iron-grey sided Fox. Structure 

 typical : size less than that of Montanus, but much larger than the 

 ordinary Indian type. Possessed of the white tail-tip of the former, but 

 not of its long and silky pelage. Fur very close, thick, porrect al- 

 most, harsher and shorter than in Montanus, very similar to that of 

 Indicus vel Bengalensis. Inner fleece the more abundant, woolly 

 and wavy as usual, and about one inch long ; outer piles straight, 

 elastic, and from 1| to 1£ inch in length : Brush full, of average length, 

 with a pelage reaching to 2^ inches long. Colour, above and on the limbs 

 bright rusty, laterally, and the tail iron-grey ; below and tip of the 

 tail, albescent-rufous : the lateral and inferior hues divided on the 

 flanks by a rufous line and on the neck by a blackish one : Ears outside 

 concolorous with the upper surface of the animal or rusty : a vague 

 transverse black bar across the upper surface of the tail near its base : 

 mystaceal and other bristles long, strong, and black. Sexes alike : fe- 

 males smaller. Snout to rump 26 inches : Tail with the hair, 12 to 13 

 inches. Inner fur unringed, and of the leading proximate external hue : 



