152 MAMMALIA— FOX. 



THE ARCTIC FOX,' 



In its full winter dress, is entirely of a pure white color, except at the tip 

 of the tail, where there are a few black hairs intermixed. Before the eyes, 

 and on the lower jaw, the hair is short and sleek ; on the posterior part of the 

 cheeks, and on the forehead, it becomes longer, and on the occiput and 

 neck it equals the ears in length, and is intermixed with soft wool. There 

 is so much wool on the body, that it gives the fur the character of that 

 of the American hare. In the months of April and May, when the snow 

 begins to disappear, the long white fur falls off, and is replaced by shorter 

 hair, more or less colored. The head and chin are then brown, having 

 some fine white hairs scattered through the fur. A similar brown color ex- 

 tends along the back to the tail, and down the outside of all the legs ; the 

 under parts of the body being of a dingy white. 



The perfect similarity of habits, and the series of variations in their fur, 

 may lead us to conclude that the arctic foxes of the New and Old World 

 are of the same species. They are inhabitants of the most northern lands 

 hitherto discovered, and in North America they are numerous, on the shores 

 of Hudson's Bay, north of Churchill, and exist also in Bhering's Straits. 



The brown variety of the Arctic fox breeds on the sea-coast, within the 

 Arctic circle. They form burrows in sandy spots in little villages, twenty 

 or thirty burrows being constructed adjoining each other. Towards the 

 middle of winter they retire to the southward, evidently in search of food, 

 keeping as much as possible on the coast. 



Captain Lyon, who has studied the manners of the Arctic fox with atten- 

 tion, says, "that it bears a great resemblance to the European species, 

 though it is considerably smaller. The general time of rest is during the 

 daylight, in which they appear listless and inactive, but the night no sooner 

 sets in, than all their faculties are awakened : they commence their gam- 

 bols, and continue in unceasing and rapid motion till morning. Their bark- 

 is so modulated, as to give you an idea that the animal is at a distance, 

 although at the very moment he lies at your feet. They feed on eggs, 

 young birds, blubber, and carrion of any kind; but their principal food seems 

 to be lemmings of different species. A confinement of a few hours often 

 sufficed to quiet one of them ; and some instances have occurred of their 

 being perfectly tame although timid, from the first moment of their captivity. 

 Their fur is of small value in commerce." 



1 C. lagopus, Lis. 



