VULPES, the fox.
"%Web ARAB. Nomri, . . . . HIND.
"Shual . HEB. Robur. . of K.LNDAHAR.
Lomn HIND. KOICri, . . . . R.
Vulpes Bengalensis, Jerdon, Shaw, Illy.
Canis rufescens, Gray. C. ehrysurus, Gray.
C. kokri, Sykes. C. xanthurus, Gray. C. corsac, Auct.
Konk, Kernp-nari, CAN. Khek-sial, . . . HIND. Chandak-nari, . . „ Kouka nakka, . . TEL.
Lurnri, Lokri, . . HIND. Gunta nakka, . . „ Kokri, Khekar, . „ Poti-nara, . . . . „ Thia fox occurs throughout India and the adjacent countries, but varies both in size and colour in different localities, generally of a greyish brown with a fulvous cast, passing in some cases to Isabella. It is always variegated above with the intermixture of whitish hairs. It is a very pretty anbnal, but much smaller than the Euro pean fox, with a short head, very sharp muzzle, oblique eyes, nut-brown irides, very slender legs, and very busby tail trailing on the ground. Its principal food is rats, land crabs, grasshoppers, beetles, and fruit; the mango and custard apple are largely eaten. It always burrows in open plains, runs with great speed, doubling, like a hare ; but instead of stretching ont at first like the hare, and trusting to its turns as a last resource, the fox turns more at first, and if it can fatigue the dogs it then goes straight away.
Vulpes ferrilatus, Hodys. (Cynalopex ferrilatus, Myth), a pretty, small fox of Tibet.
Vulpes flavescens, Gray, Silver fox.
Vulpes montanus, Hodg. Bobur . of KANDAHAR.
This species is numerous in the valleys around Kandahar, hiding in burrows and holes in the rocks. It is about two feet lone. froni the nose to the insertion of the tail, anethe tail 'is about seventeen inches i height at shoulder about fifteen inches. Its tail is yellowish, back rather darker, inclining to brown, face and outer side of fore legs and base of the tail pale-fulvous, spot on the side of the face just before the eyes, the chin (breast), the front of the fore-legs, a round spot on the upper part of the hind foot, and the tips of the hairs of the tail blackish, end of tail vvhite, and ears externally bindle. The skins are soft,
and are made into the neemehah and oostin.
Vulpes fuliginosus, Hody., Thec-ke, TIB., is of Sikkim and Tibet.
Vu'peg Griffithii, Blyth (V. flaveseens, Blyth), is of Afghanistan.
Vulpes leucopus, Blyth, the desert fox of N.W. India, Catch, Panjab.
Vulpes montanus, Pearson, Hill fox.
Canis vulpes montanus, Vulpes mentanus, Gray.
Pears. V. Nepalensis, Gray.
C. Himalaieus, The hill fox of the Himalaya ranges up to the snow limit ; and in winter, when the snow is on the ground, they are very 111.1111eT0118 about Simla, coming close to the houses in search of offal. Its fur is exceedingly rich, dense, 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-ful vans, head mixed with white, tail bushy and white tipped. V. montanus was not seen by Dr. Adams beyond the wooded regions of Kashmir, and is evidently replaced by the silver fox, V. flavescens, which is not, however partial to the barren regions of Ladakh, but is 'also to be met with on the tops of the Southern Papjab. V. montanus is generally distributed over the lower and middle. regions of the Himalaya, up even to the limits of frost. Although often seen during the day, its depredations are chiefly at night, when it prowls about houses after poultry ; and in the jungles, when it preys on kalij pheasants and other birds: This handsome species is readily recognised by the rufous on the back and pale fulvous on the legs.—Adams ; Terddn ; Horsburyh.
Vulpes pusillus, Myth (V. flavesecns, Blyth), Panjab fox. Salt Range.