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Show 546 MR. W. E. DE WINTON ON [Apr. 18, Its range seems very restricted: all the specimens examined were obtained between Suakim and Dongola. Possibly the nearest ally to this little Fox is G. bengalensis, but this relationship is not close : it certainly has nothing in common with G. corsac. CANIS FAMELICUS. (Fig. 8.) Canis famelicus, Cretzschm. Eiipp. Atlas, p. 15, pl. v. (1826) ; Mivart, Canida?, p. 144, pl. ? Canis anubis, Hempr. & Ehrenb. Symb. Phys., M a m m . ii. (1832). Megalotis famelicus, Smith (H.), Jardine's Nat. Libr. ix. p. 235, pl. xx. (1839). Fennecus famelicus, Lesson, Tab. Beg. Anim. p. 39 (1842). Vulpes dorsalis, Gray, Cat. M a m m . Brit. Mus. p. 62 (1843), partim. Fennecus dorsalis, Gray, P. Z. S. 1868, p. 519, partim. Fig. 8. Skull of Canis famelicus, f nat. size. (B.M. 98.6.5.7.) Fur very long, soft, and dense ; general colour soft fawn, more or less interspersed with coarser grizzled hairs, often giving it a steel-blue tint. Ears very long, rich fawn-colour : the face paler yellowish buff, with strong brown patches immediately above the whiskers, the dark colour, slightly modified, encircles the eyes. Along the dorsal line the fur is redder than on the sides, 'the underfur being grey tipped with reddish brown. There are reddish patches on the back of the hind legs above the heel. The tail is very thick and bushy along its whole length, with a very distinct white tag ; there is a depression in the fur over the gland, and the hair is generally clogged at the base with a yellow substance, which gives off a distinct aromatic odour. This is, perhaps, the prettiest of all the Sand-Foxes ; the ears are very large, but not exaggerated like those of the Fennec. I am able to give the weight and dimensions of this little Fox, taken from fresh-killed animals by two collectors, to w h o m the Museum is much indebted for numerous carefully-collected specimens. |