Horváth Géza (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 23. (Budapest 1926)

Ognev, S. I.: A systematic review of the mammals of Russia

part of the neck and on its lower side (on the throat, breast and upper part of belly); a development of a black pattern on the extremities. Dark-bellied foxes. 3. The red-coloured form. Colouring rather deep, but the red tint is comparatively dusky, brownish. The brown-rusty-red colouring forms upon the neck and shoulders a crosswise pattern. Upon the fundamental dusky-brown basis of the lower part of the back, a yellowwhitish ripple shows vividly. Sizes of skull are large (not smaller than those of the CentralRussian fox). General length of skull of cfcf 144*3—166*2 (M. 151-4), of 9$ 138—143-7 (M. 140-8); condylo-basal length of skull of cfcf 138*2—150-8 (M. 146-4), of 99 134—139*6 (M. 135*8); zygomatic breadth of cfcf 75-8—82-2 (M. 79*6), of 99 70—76-3 (M. 73*8); utmost breadth of skull of cfcf 48-3—51-5 (M. 49-2), of 99 44-8—47-1 (M. 46-2); length of brain-case of cfcf 60—62-4 (M. 61-4), of 99 57-3—61*1 (M. 58); length of facial part of cfcf 63-2—69-9 (M. 66-6), of 99 59-2—63-3 (M. 60*8); height of skull of cfcf 49—53*2 (M. 51-5); of 99 48—50-8 (M. 49*4); length of upper tooth-row of cfcf 64-9—71-3 (M. 67*3), of 99 60-5—63-2 (M. 62). Systematic remarks. — The North-Caucasian mountainous fox, in comparison with the fox of central Russia presents a well distinct subspecies, which can be at once recognised, without even looking at the label. V. v. caucasica differs from the foxes of the Southern Russian plain by a better quality, richness and handsomeness of the fur, which, as to its softness and denseness is not in a way inferior to our northern foxes. It is very interesting, that in the Northern Caucasus grey-brownish and also red-haired foxes (not bright ones, with a light ripple on the lower part of the back) are common in the region of the mountains. Whereas, as mentions N. J. DINNICK, in the hills of the region of the Kooban one meets but with red-haired foxes (probably of the former described pale colouring, resembling that of V. v. krymea-montana BEAUNEE). The grey foxes are to be met with more to the East on the principal mountain range. So, for instance, they are already common in the vicinity of Vladicaucasus. According to DINNICK there are no foxes whatever in the plain. This author, during his long studies in the gvt. of Stavropol, has examined hundreds of skins and has not discovered a single grey or brown one, all of them were red-coloured ones. I think, that one may meet with the V, v. stepensis BEAUNEE or with a form very near it in the gvt. of Stavropol, in the steppes of the 14*