314 
GENUS BASS ARTS. — Lichtenstein. 
DENTAL FORMULA. 
6 . . j— 1 6—6 
incisive Canine — : Molar, — - = 40. 
Body, long and rather slender; head, round ; snout, attenuated like that 
of a fox ; eyes, rather large : eyelids, oblong, lateral ; ears, conspicuous, of 
moderate size, their points rounded. 
There are five toes on each foot ; tail, nearly the length of the body. 
Hairs on the body, short and dense, much longer on the tail. 
The specific name is derived from the Greek, Bao-o-af/s, {bassaris), a little 
fox. 
This is the only species in the genus. 
BASSAKIS ASTU T A.— Light. 
Ring-tailed Bassaris. 
PLATE XCVIII .—Male —Natural Size. 
B. Supra gilvus nigro-variegatus, auriculis, macula supra oculari et 
ventre flavido-albis ; cauda, annulis octo albis nigrisque alternantibus, 
picta. 
CHARACTERS. 
Dull yellow, mixed with black, above ; a spot above the eye, ears, and 
under surface, yellowish-white ; tail, eight times ringed with black and 
white. 
SYNONYMES. 
Cacamitztli, Hernandez. 
Tepe-Maxtlaton, Hernandez. 
Bassaris Astdta, Lichtenstein, Darstellung neuer, oder wenig bekannter Siiu- 
gethiere, Tafel 43, Berlin, 1827-1834. 
DESCRIPTION. 
The first impression made by this animal on the observer is, that he 
has met with a little fox ; its erect ears, sharp nose, and cunning look', are 
