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Show APPENDIX C.- MAMMALS. 809 M A M M A L S . BY S. F. BMW). 1. VXTLPBS MAOROuaus, Baird.- Great- tailed Fox. WE greatly regret that the specimens of this, the most important addition to our fauna made by Captain Stansbury, should be of such character as not to admit of a description based upon the skull. None were found by the party, all brought in being cased skins purchased of hunters in Salt Lake Valley, and, as usual, without the skull. In general appearance, this species resembles the red fox, Vulpes fulvus, in its different varieties. From these, however, it may be at once distinguished by the great length of the tail, which exceeds that of the latter species by six inches, and more. In the best specimen procured, the back is of mixed grizzled gray colour as in the gray fox or badger, the hairs being dark brown at the base, then yellowish white, and finally, tipped with black. These hairs are interspersed in a very abundant soft fur, of uniform colour, varying in tint with the region of body. A decided black colour prevails on the muzzle, sides of face, top of head, and upper part of neck, separated from that of the back by a rather uniform ferruginous in front of the shoulder. On the shoulders, the gray exhibits a slight tendency to a cross, and widens posteriorly, including the outside of thighs, and extending a short distance on the tail. There is a considerable admixture of black around the eyes. The sides of the neck and body, concavity of the ear, basal anterior portion of the convexity, and space across lower neck, are light ferruginous; the remaining portion of the convexity of the ear black; chin, throat, legs, belly, top, and sides of the tail, black. The tip of the tail is dirty white; beneath, with region about the arms and posterior edge of thighs, light ferruginous ; whiskers, black. Length ( approximate) from snout to base of tail 88 inches. Tail to end of vertebra 18 " " " tip of hair 22 " Breadth of tail, flattened 9 " J |