FEE,. 1912. MAMMALS or ILLINOIS AND WISCONSIN CORY. 299 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



(ADULTS.) 



GROUP 1. Total length (nose to end of tail vertebrae) more than 43 inches; sides 

 of neck not red brown or yellow brown; pupil of eye round. 



Color variable, gray usually predominating; tail vertebrae more than 9 inches 

 long; diameter of upper canine teeth at base .50 inch or more; width of nose 

 pad more than 1.25 inches. GRAY WOLF OR TIMBER WOLF. 



Canis nubilus, p. 313. 



Color similar to preceding species; tail vertebrae less than 9 inches long; diameter 

 of upper canine teeth at base less than .50 inch, usually .4 inch or less; width 

 of nose pad less than 1.25 inches. COYOTE OR PRAIRIE WOLF. 



Canis latrans, p. 322. 



GROUP 2. Total length less than 43 inches; pupil of eye elliptical. 

 SECTION i. Sides of neck red brown or reddish yellow. 



PART i . Back and sides of body red brown or reddish yellow ; long hairs on 



tail mixed with soft under fur. 



Feet and considerable portion of legs blackish; throat white; no distinct 



red brown band on chest. RED Fox. Vulpes fulvus, p. 305. 



PART 2. Back and sides of body not red brown or reddish yellow; hair on 



tail rather coarse, not mixed with soft under fur. 



Back grayish, the hair blended with black and grayish white; sides of 

 neck red brown; a well marked red brown band on chest; total length 

 usually less than 37 inches. Occurs within our limits in central 

 and southern Illinois. GRAY Fox. Urocyon cinereoargenteus, p. 300. 

 Similar to last, but larger; rusty brown markings darker and more 

 ferrugineous ; total length usually 37 inches or more. Occurs within 

 our limits in southern Wisconsin and perhaps in northern Illinois. 



WISCONSIN GRAY Fox. Urocyon c. ocythous, p. 303. 

 SECTION 2. Sides of neck not red brown or reddish yellow; long hairs of 



tail mixed with soft under fur. 



General color black, hairs more or less tipped with white (Black Fox or 

 Silver Fox) ; or general color more or less fulvous and gray, but with a 

 black stripe across the shoulders and another down middle of the 

 back (Cross Fox). These are color phases of the Red Fox (Vulpes 

 fulvus) known as BLACK Fox, SILVER Fox, and CROSS Fox. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



(YOUNG.) 



The following characters by which the young (pups) of the various 

 species may be recognized are given by Mr. Vernon Bailey (Circular 

 No. 69, Bureau of Biological Survey, 1909, p. 2): 



"Muzzle blackish at birth, fading in a month or 6 weeks to grayish. Head grayish, 

 in decided contrast to black of back, nose and ears. Ears black at tips, fading to 

 grayish in a month or 6 weeks. Tail black, fading to gray with black tip." 



GRAY WOLF OR TIMBER WOLF. Canis nubilus, p. 313. 



