84 A HAND-BOOK OF THE MANAGEMENT OF ANIMALS 



Hab. — Throughout India, from the base of the Himalayas to Cape 

 Comorin; not known to occur west of Sindh and the Punjab, nor east of 

 Assam. It inhabits the open parts of the country. Not uncommon 

 in the drains of the Calcutta maidan. 



Length of life in captivity. 



The maximum period during which an Indian Fox has lived has 

 not been more than five years. 



Treatment in health. 



Housing. — New arrivals had better not be exposed for exhibition 

 at once, as the presence of other animals and other causes of excitement 

 sometimes frighten them so much that they may altogether refuse to eat 

 and drink. In this garden they are usually kept in one of the cages of 

 the Kuch Behar House. Either a hollow log of wood or a small box 

 within the cage forms an excellent place of retirement for these animals. 

 As some of them have been found to climb the wire partitions of their 

 cage, care should be taken to have it lined with thin planks. 



Food.— The usual diet of these animals in captivity consists of 

 boiled meat, beef or mutton, eggs, and plantains. Some of them have 

 been found to be extremely fond of jack-fruits. They have often been 

 tried with rats, crabs and frogs, but in captivity they do not appear to 

 care for such edibles. 



Transport. — A small box, 2 feet* long, 18 inches broad and about 

 15 to 18 inches high, will comfortably accommodate a pair of these 

 animals. For a sea-voyage the arrangement ought to be somewhat 

 special, so that a box, smaller than that mentioned above, placed within 

 a wire cage, will answer very well. 



Treatment in sickness. 



With regard to their diseases nothing definite is known. 



Habits. 



The habits of Indian foxes in captivity are uninteresting, as they 

 spend much of their time inside their sleeping box. For particulars of 

 their habits in a wild state, Blanford's Fauna of British India 

 (Mammalia) may be consulted. 



(90) THE COMMON FOX. 

 (VULPES ALOPEX— {Linn.) ) 



Two varieties of the common fox have been exhibited in the 

 garden— the Vulpes Alopex, var. Montana from the Western Hima- 

 layas, and the common fox from the British Islands. Both of them 

 are much larger and more richly coloured than the Indian fox. Their 

 prevailing colour varies from ruddy chestnut to dull rufous, but it is 

 subject to much individual variation, especially in the Himalayan form. 

 The Himalayan variety exhibited in the garden had scarcely any cross 

 stripe on the shoulder, and differed from the European form in having 



