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The following are the dimensions of the magnificent Gaour of which the skin, prepared for being set up in our Museum, is now in progress of transmission from Chyebassa, as already noticed by the Secretary. They were taken by Lieut. Tickell from the recent animal, and I annex a copy of the figure which he has kindly supplied me with, in order to enable our taxidermists the better to imitate the form of the living beast in the stuffed specimen.

A, B, a string passed along the back to root of tail,
A, a, from frontal ridge to tip of muzzle,

c, d, horns apart anteriorly at base,

f, tip to tip of ditto,

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from nose to centre of eye,

eye to root of horn,

eye to base of ears,

e,

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1, m, humerus, &c.

m, n, radius,

n, o, metacarpus,

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Feet, Inch.

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o, p, pastern, &c. and hoof,

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"Irides grey; muzzle black; horns pale, with dark tip; hoof, blackish."

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I am, Sir,
Yours obediently,
ED. BLYTH.

Report for May Meeting.

SIR, On the present occasion, I have comparatively few donations to announce to the Meeting.

In the class of mammalia, our most interesting acquisition is the remarkably handsome Fox from beyond the Sutlej, already announced as having been presented by Mr. Lushington. I presume it to be the Vulpes Nipalensis, Gray, Mag. Nat. Hist., N. S., I, 578, according so far as can be made out from the very imperfect description there given; but notwithstanding the differences of colour, and length and quality of

fur, apparent between this and our specimen of the common Himalayan Fox, upon which Dr. Pearson founded his description of V. montanus, vel (subsequently) V. Himalaicus, Ogilby, I cannot, after full considération, regard them as specifically distinct, but consider this to be a variety merely, from a colder habitat, or perhaps a winterkilled individual, though I am unaware that any of the Canidae renew their coat more than once in the year. Certainly, with regard to the name Nipalensis, Mr. Hodgson, who has so long pursued his zoological researches in that province, would seem to be unaware of any Nepâlese species additional to V. montanus and V. corsac; a circumstance which also tends to cast a doubt upon the V. Hodgsonii, likewise insufficiently described by Mr. Gray, loc. cit. The specimen now exhibited may, indeed, be tolerably well referred to either of the half-descriptions indicated.*

Length thirty inches from nose to base of tail, the tail with hair sixteen inches; from nose to base of ear five inches and a half, and ears (measured posteriorly, and making some allowance for their having shrunk,) four inches; height of the back fifteen inches. Fur exceedingly rich, dense, soft and fine, the longer sort measuring fully two inches upon the back, and the inner everywhere of considerable length and woolly character. General colour pale fulvous, scarcely more than fulvous-white over the shoulder-blades, and but little deeper on the sides, the haunches and tail appearing greyish, while the middle of the back is much deeper and more rufous fulvous than the rest, widening upon the croup, and passing there into the greyish appearance of the haunches; outside of the ears deep black to near their base (as in ordinary montanus); and the under-parts mingled white and faint nigrescent, the latter being the general hue of the inner fur at base, and more or less developed on different parts. Head light fulvous mixed with white, and marked as in other Foxes; the darkish streak from the eye to the moustachial bristles faint, the latter black, and cheeks and jowl white as usual. Limbs about the same pale fulvous as the head, the ordinary mark in front of the fore-limbs inconspicuous, though indicated by grizzled black and white-tipped hairs: tail bushy and white-tipped, with also a white mark across its upper surface near the base, above which the colour is the same rufousfulvous as the croup, while ascending on each side of the buttocks is some whitish, which is divided by a narrow rufous stripe at the mesial line; the rest of the tail being pale dull fulvous with the hairs slightly black-tipped.

Captain Hutton states (J. A. S. VI, 934,) of V. montanus, that "the males are larger and much darker than the females." The very pale specimen, however, here described is a male and should my specific identification of it be correct, the V. mon

"Vulpes Nipalensis. Fur soft, silky, long; above, bright fulvous-yellow.

"Inhabits Northern India, Nepâl.-Gen. Hardwicke.

"Like the common European, and American fulvous, Foxes; but the fur is much softer and brighter coloured.

"V. Hodgsonii. Fur rather woolly; above, bluish grey. Forehead, nape, and middle of the back, yellowish-brown. Tail-end, black. Chin and beneath, white.

"Inhabits North India, Nepâl.-Hardwicke."

With respect to "tail end black," I suspect that Col. H. Smith's observation will be found to apply, that of the hundreds of [English] Foxes and skins examined by us, although there be many with the end of the tail apparently black, we have not found one where there was not a white tip within the black; although most Foxes occasionally pull out the hairs at the end of the tail." Dr. McClelland writes, of the Fox of Kemaon, "he has grey legs, becoming darker to the feet; dark sharp nose; bushy tail, that of the male having a white tip; the upper surface of the ears velvet-black, inner surface cream yellow." Geology, &c. of Kemaon,' p. 220.

tanus would accordingly appear to be subject to considerable variation in shade of colour, like the allied V. fulvus of North America. In connexion with this subject, I may further remark, that Lieut. Irwin mentions “black fox” skins, together with those of the "common brown fox," as among the "commodities sent from Independent Toorkistan to the marts of Chinese Toorkistan.* "The Fox of Toorkistan," he observes," and generally of the cold and temperate countries, has all the cunning of the English, unlike the puny Fox of India"; the former probably referring to the common Himalayan species, rather than to the Tibet Fox (V. ferrulatus) of Mr. Hodgson; though regarding the cunning of those of Kemaon, Dr. McClelland writes-" They are somewhat larger than the English Fox, and are very easily caught in traps," whereas the Jackal there, which is much larger than the Jackal of the plains, is remarkably shy and cautious, so much so as never to allow itself to be caught in a trap."+

In Afghanistan, according to Dr. Griffith, "a large and a small species of Fox appear to exist. The former, which is perhaps identical with the large Himalayan Fox, I procured from Quetta and at Olipore, at which place it is not uncommon. small kind seems to resemble the Fox of the plains of N. W. India.”

The

Of the latter, or more exclusively those of the great Western Hurriana desert, the Hon. Mountstuart Elphinstone remarks, that these are "less than our [the English?] Fox, but somewhat larger than the common one of India: their backs are of the same brownish colour with the latter; but in one part of the desert, their legs and belly up to a certain height, are black, and in another, white. The line between those colours and the brown is so distinctly marked, that the one kind seems as if it had been wading up to the belly in ink, and the other in white-wash." Account of Cabul, &c. p. 7. Specimens of the animals here indicated would be highly acceptable to zoologists.

I have been informed that a species more nearly resembling the English Fox than the small Corsac of the plains inhabits the Neilghierries; but no such animal is noticed in Mr. Elliot's catalogue.

In Proc. Zool. Soc. for 1837, p. 68, it is mentioned that "a new species of Fox, nearly allied to Vulpes Bengalensis, but evidently larger, Mr. Gray designated as Ful pes xanthura," but no description is there published, nor habitat assigned, though this notice follows some descriptions of Indian animals. Naturalists, therefore, are not bound to trouble themselves about the priority of the name, should they chance to meet with the animal here alluded to. It cannot, surely, be the "Fulvous-tailed Dog (Canis chrysurus, Gray)," a description of which is published in Mag. Nat. Hist. N. S. I, 157, and which is stated to inhabit India. I subjoin reasons, however, for suspecting that it is the same, and here indicate the animal as one regarding which further information would be acceptable.§

* Red, grey, brown, and black Foxes are stated to have been formerly very numerous in the Aleutian Isles, whence the name of "Fox Islands" applied to this group, or rather chain. Dues the American species extend across to Asia like the Rein Deer, Argali (?), &c. ?

+ Captain Hutton remarks, of the Jackals of Simla, that "they do not appear to hunt in packs as they do in the plains, but are seen singly." J. d. S., VI, 934. Is it certain that they are of the same species?

For further particulars concerning V. montanus, vide J. A. S., VI, 934.

§ "Fur pale, foxy, varied with black-tipped rigid white hairs, which are most abundant on the sides, and only scattered on the hinder part of the back. Under fur soft, silky; of the back

The wild Canidæ of India may, I suspect, be reduced to the following species:Subgenus Cuon, Hodgson, vel Chryseus, H. Smith, perhaps comprising a plurality of species, though actual comparison of specimens is necessary to establish these. "Upon the Himalaya," writes Mr. Ogilby, "the common Wild Dog, called simply Junglee Coota in the plains, and Buansu in Nepal, [Colsun or] C. Dukhunensis of Sykes, and C. primavæus of Hodgson), is only found in the lower regions, but is replaced further up by two other wild species, likewise called Junglee Coota by English sportsmen. Lieutenant Smith informs me, that one of these is larger and the other smaller than the Junglee Coota of the plains, from which they both differ in having shorter tails and a lighter or more ashy colour: both species ascend the hills even to the snow-line; they hunt in packs, and inhabit ravines, and rocky dells; but being excessively shy, are not very often seen. The Junglee Coota of the plains, in other respects, does not appear to me to differ from the C. Sumatrensis of Hardwicke." Zoological Appendix to Royle's Illustrations.

Mr. Hodgson merely informs us, that "the breed of Tibet is large, and of a pale Wolflike colour," but he only possessed skins of "very young animals ;" and this would seem to be the race observed by Moorcroft in his journey to Ladakh (Travels, I, 13), and by him styled "Wolves." One of his party, in advance, disturbed a pack of them in the act of pulling down a Surrow, and having put them to flight, and secured their victim, "the Wolves kept prowling about us, and were not finally dispersed until several shots had been fired at them. They were of a reddish colour, with long, lank bodies, and bushy tails. The natives call them Khoa," spelt Qyo by Dr. Spry and others, and Quihoe in Johnson's 'Indian Field Sports,' referring to the animal of Central fulvous; of the sides whitish; lead coloured at the base of the hairs. belly, white. Sides of the chest, inner sides of the legs, yellowish white. and anal region, bright reddish-fulvous. Tail cylindrical, reaching nearly to the ground, pale yellow, with a dark brown tip, and a large tuft of rather rigid hairs (placed over a large gland at its upper part near the base. Ears rather large acute, grey, and edged with black externally; internally, whitish. Length 23 inches, tail 10 inches. Specimen in British Museum."

Cheeks, chin, throat, and
Upper part of the legs,

From the particular mention of the caudal gland, in addition to the hue of the tail, I am really induced to suspect that this is, after all, no other than the Vulpes xanthura above referred to; for of the latter it is mentioned that "in describing this species, Mr. Gray remarked, that it had a large gland, covered with rigid brown hair, on the upper part of the base of its tail, very distinctly marked, and that on looking at the tail of the several other species of this genus, as V. Bengalensis [Corsac], vulgaris, fulvus, and some others, a similar gland was easily recognisable, though it appeared to have been hitherto overlooked." The same may be seen on the tail of a Wolf or Jackal, as must, I should think, be familiar to most observers.

Mr. Gray also described, on the same occasion, a "Canis procyonides (Raccoon-faced Dog). Grey-brown, varied with black tips to the hairs. Cheeks and legs dark chocolate-brown. Tail short, thick, pale brown, with white tips to the hairs. Ears rounded, hairy. Length of head 54 inches; body 17 inches; tail 5 inches. Inhabits China. Specimen in British Museum." This animal is figured in the "Illustrations of Indian Zoology" of Messrs. Hardwicke and Gray, where undoubtedly it is made to look marvellously Raccoon-like.

In the same work is also figured a "Dooab Fox" (V. rufescens), but, so far as can be judged from the plates, it would not differ from the ordinary Corsul, unless in the total want of annulation to the fur, which is not very probable.

I republish these notices to aid the investigations of enquirers in this part of the world, and in hope of preventing, as much as possible, a needless multiplication of synonyms.

In the latter author's description of the Sumatran wild Dog (Lin. Trans. XIII, 236), it is remarked that "the resemblance between this animal and the wild Dog of the Ramghur hills, called Quao, is strikingly close; the colour of both is the same, the black bushy tail the same, as also the form of the nose; but the ears of the Sumatran Dog are more rounded.”

*

India; terms which, as Colonel H. Smith remarks, "appear to signify imitations of the animal's voice when hunting."

From Herbert's Gleanings in Science,' I. 280, 1 extract the following: "The Bhowsah [Buansu] are found in many parts of the hills of North-western India: there are two kinds, one denominated the Shikárí, and the other the Lágh: the latter is much stouter than the former, and its hair longer and darker; it is not so fleet as the Shikárí, but possesses a much finer nose; it quickly regains the scent when lost by the Shikari: it takes the name of Lagh from eating the offal of its prey, which the Shikári does not.'

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A "Red Wolf” is mentioned by geographers as inhabiting the Great Altai; and "Wild Dogs," in addition to Wolves, Jackals, and Foxes, are noticed by Elphinstone to occur in Afghanistan. Such an animal is mentioned by Colonel H. Smith, as "the Beluel of Avicenna, which that author seems to have considered to be the Thos of antiquity. This," continues the learned naturalist cited, "we take to be the Beluch of Beloochistan, one of two species of wild canines found in the woody mountains of South-eastern Persia, and probably extending along the high lands West of the Indus into Cabul. It is described as a red wild Dog, very shy, and extremely ferocious, hunting by day in parties of twenty or thirty, seizing a Bullock or Buffalo without hesitation, and tearing the animal to pieces in a few moments. A British Officer, who traversed a part of this wild region of alternate jungle and sandy plateau, deeply scarred into long and parallel furrows, barren and vertical, so that no quadru ped can cross many without complete exhaustion, observed a group of these red Dogs lying on the edge of the forest, yet on the watch for game, but they withdrew into cover before he could fire at or completely examine them: they were, however, long and rather low on the legs, of a rufous colour, with a hairy tail and a powerful structure their foot-marks on the sandy soil were very distinct, and indicated that their feet were exactly like those of a Hound. The native peasants related that they keep aloof from human habitations, and consequently do little injury to human property; but that no animal, especially if it be entangled in the billowy ridges before mentioned, can escape their pursuit. Having demanded some particulars about their structure, they pointed to a domestic Dog then present, and said that the Beluch was much like it, but larger and destitute of white colour, which marked the domestic animal; but that there existed, further to the West, a wild species still larger than the red, which had so much white that the brown and black occurred upon its back in the form of spots." The account here given strikingly agrees with that of the Wild Dog of the Rajamahendri district furnished by Major Pew, and appended to Col. Sykes's description of the Colsun in Trans. Roy. As. Soc. III, 411, so that there can be very little, if any, doubt of their applying to the self-same species, together with the following.

"The Red Wild Dog of Southern China," continues Col. Smith, "is most likely another race or species of this subgenus. It is described as resembling the Dingo of

* A corresponding distinction is said to obtain among the Wolves of North America. Thus, in Silliman's Journal, VI, 93, we read, of those of the Catskill mountains (a series of ranges extending from the vicinity of the St. Lawrence to the Alleghany ridge), that "Two varieties of Wolves are met with, one called by hunters the Deer Wolf, from his habit of pursuing Deer, for which his light Greyhound form adapts him the other of a more clumsy figure, with short legs, and large body, more frequently depredates upon the flocks under the protection of man."

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