1879.] W. T. Blanford—A second Note on Gilgit Mammalia. 95 
IX.—A second note on Mammalia collected by Major Biddulph in 
Gilgit.—By W. T. Buanrorp, F. BR. 8., &e. 
(Received and read May 7th, 1879.) 
In the Journal of the Society for 1877, (Vol. XLVI, Pt. 2, p. 828,) 
I gave a brief note of some mammalian skins sent by Major Biddulph from 
Gilgit, comprising a fox, an otter, a mouse, a hare and a Lagomys. 
Another small collection has since been forwarded to the Indian Museum 
by the same officer. This is even more interesting than the last, for two of 
the species belong to a genus, Cricetus, not previously found in the valley of 
the Indus, although widely distributed in Central.Asia. At the same time 
a rat is sent that is undistinguishable from a common Indian species. The 
other skins belong to a mouse and to two species of fox. On each of these 
I will add a few notes. 
1 and 2. Vulpes,2 sp. Two fox skins sent by Captain Biddulph are 
very difficult to determine. The larger is an animal apparently about the 
size of Vulpes montana, but darker in colour and much less rufous. The 
dark colour, so far as is it due to the black tips of the longer hairs, may 
perhaps vary with age, but it is in great measure-caused by the under-fur, 
which differs from that of V. montana in being more dusky, and especially in 
being brown at the extremity instead of bright rufous. The earsare sooty 
outside instead of black, and the throat is not so dark a grey as in Simla 
specimens of V. montana, but these differences are not of much impor- 
tance. 
There is a well marked distinctive character in the skull of the two 
types. The brain-pan in the Gilgit fox is broader and higher, and the 
occipital portion in consequence differently shaped. The lower jaws too 
are somewhat different. 
The following is a description of the skin, which was evidently pro- 
cured in winter. 
General colour dusky fulvous, the colour being much darker in conse- 
quence of the under-fur shewing through ; there is a slight rufous tinge on 
the back caused by the extremities of the long hairs being tinged with red ; 
lower parts dusky grey, outside of limbs and of ears sooty black, margins 
of ear covered with dense short hairs of a creamy white or pale buif colour ; 
face pale rufous, darker in front of the eye, with a brown patch before each 
eye. Whiskers black. Tail tip wanting, the basal portion pale fulvous, with 
black tips to the long hairs. Hairs of back of neck and of flanks also black 
tipped. The under-fur on the back very long and woolly, of a brownish 
grey colour, paler at the base. Ends of the longer hairs very pale fulvous. 
