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Show 1 869.] DR. E. HAMILTON ON A VARIETY OF THE COMMON FOX. 247 The upper jaw, when cut away at the side (as shown in fig. 1, p. 246), exhibits a very rudimentary canine tooth of the adult series, and three molars, the middle being the flesh-tooth of the milk-series. The lower jaw shows three molars of the milk-series in a moderate state of development, and a cavity in which the large hinder molar is to be developed, but which is now in a very rudimentary state. The first tooth indicated on the edge of the jaw is the permanent canine, and the two other teeth are the anterior molars. I am not aware that the skull of the young animal of this genus has been figured; so I have had some drawings, to illustrate this paper, made by Mr. Ford. 9. On a Variety of the Canis vulpes (Vulpes vulgaris, Brisson) found in the Forest of the Ardennes, Belgium. By Dr. E D W A R D HAMILTON, F.L.S. The Prince of Musignano, in his ' Fauna Italica,' describes a variety of the Canis vulpes under the name of melanogaster, and claims specific characters, in that the colour of the fur on the throat, chest, and abdomen is black instead of whitish grey ; the head and back dark greyish, and mixed with a quantity of silver hairs ; the tail more bushy, and furnished with a white tip. Mr. Gerrard, in his ' Catalogue of Bones in the British Museum,' places the Vulpes melanogaster as a distinct species. Dr. Gray, "Catalogue of the Canidae" (P. Z. S. 1868, p. 515), describes it as a variety only; Hab. Italy. Linnaeus describes a variety, Canis alopex, with a straight tail black at the tip, and smaller than the Canis vulpes. Button's Renard charbonnier, or Alopex europceus, is of a silver greyish colour, tail tipped with white; remarkable black feet and legs, which appear as if produced by charcoal-dust, hence its name; it is smaller than the common Fox. Hab. Burgundy. The variety which I bring before the notice of the Society was shot last autumn in the Forest of the Ardennes, near Rochefort, in Belgium. The hunters there know it under the name of " Le Renard Noir." It is comparatively rare; about five or six are killed during the season. It is larger than the Common Fox, and a very active animal. Colour brownish grey, mixed with silver-grey hairs ; deep brownish red stripe extending down the back, lighter towards the tail; head, face, and neck brownish red, mixed with silver-grey; throat, chest, and abdomen black, merging into blackish grey at the posterior part; tail blackish brown on the upper part, blackish yellow beneath, the tip black ; fore legs blackish grey from shoulder to claws ; hind legs, a blackish grey stripe running from the hip and becoming black at the feet. The skin measures from tip of nose to root of tail 3 feet; tail 1 foot 6 inches. Approximate height at shoulders I foot 5-6 inches. In comparing the skin with the figure given by the Prince of Musignano (I. ci) there is a great similarity, with the exception of |
