MAMMALS CANUX33 VULPES MAOKUEUS. 55 



VULPES MACEUEUS, Bd. 

 Large Prairie Fox. 



Vuljics Mftcnntrus, BD., Stansbury's Eep. Expl. Great Salt Lake, 1853 (pub. Juno, 

 1851'), 309. Id., Mam in. N. A , 1857, 130. HAYDEN, Trans. Am. Phil. Soc., 

 xii, 1862, 142. 

 Vulpcs itt<th, AUD. & BACH., Proc. Philada. Acad., .Tuly, 1852, 114. lid., Quad. N. 



Am., iii, 255, pi. 151. COUES, Am. Nat., i, 1807, 292. 

 ? Vulpus fulvus, MAXIM., Eeise, 1841, ii, 98. 

 Large Red Fox of the Plains, LEWIS & CLARK, ii, 108. 



CHARS. Averagiug larger than the Keel Fox. Tail very long, extremely bushy ; fur 

 long, tine, anil thick ; coloration substantially as in the Bed Fox, and presenting the same 

 special degrees of melanism (cross, silver-gray, and black), but the normal coloration 

 "yellow " rather than " red." Skull, 5j by 2^, thus longer and narrower than in the Red 

 Fox. Nose to root of tail, 30-33 inches; tail to end of vertebrae, 1C; to end of hairs, 

 21 ; greatest breadth across flattened hairs at the end, 10 inches, elsewhere about 8. 

 Nose to eye, 3 ; to ear, 5 ; to occiput, Gi ; ear, 3i high posteriorly ; elbow to wrist, 

 (i ; to end of toes, 10 ; knee to ankle, 0; heel to end of toes, 6. 



We indorse the specific character of this animal with some misgiving. 

 As Professor Baird himself says : "Owing to the close resemblance to the 

 common Red Fox, it is difficult to describe the Prairie Fox intelligibly 

 except by comparison with the other species.'' There are, however, certain 

 tangible differences, not accounted for upon any of the recognized laws of 

 variation among animals of the region this supposed species inhabits ; and 

 it is, moreover, associated in some parts of its habitat with the common 

 species. These two considerations have weighed with us in making a 

 decision, provisionally, of specific rank. 



A single specimen, believed to be of this species, was closely observed 

 at Deep Creek, Utah. It is thought to be tolerably common in Utah and 

 Nevada, as Indians were seen with skins in their possession. 



A specimen, which we are inclined to refer to this species on account 

 of its great size and especially large tail, is jet black all over, with a pure 

 white tip to the tail ; one of the finest examples of complete melanism we 

 have seen. The purity of the black is only interrupted by a slight gray 

 grizzle on the face and rump. It was collected in Colorado. 



Specimen. 



