Vol. XI, pp. 53-55 March 16, 1897 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON^-' '^ 



DESCRIPTION OF A NEW RED FOX FROM NOVA 



SCOTIA. 



BY OUTEAM BANGS. 



For some years I have known of the existence in Nova Scotia * 

 of a large red fox, nuieh larger and of a deeper color tlian the 

 small yellowish red Vulpes pennsylvanica typica (Bodd.) of the 

 Central States. I have had some difficnlty in getting specimens 

 of this fox, but now have a series of five skins and six skulls from 

 Digb}', Bear River, and Annapolis, Nova Scotia. Unfortunately 

 my specimens are mostly females or young. ■ I have no skin and 

 only one skull of a ver}^ old male. The old males are often of 

 great size. My friend, H. A. P. Smith, Esq., of Digby, who has 

 killed very many, has several times taken them weighing close 

 to twenty pounds. 



The Nova Scotia fox presents all the color i)hases known as 

 'cur,' 'cross,' 'silver gray,' and 'black' foxes. One of my 

 specimens is a fine ' cross.' The new fox in its normal red pel- 

 age is a very beautiful animal, and the fur is well known to 

 dealers, who pay much higher prices for it than for the fur of the 

 southern red fox. 



The new form may be known as : 



Vulpes pennsylvanica vafra snbsp. nov. 



Ti/pe from Digby, Nova Scotia, No. 116, female, old adult. Collection 

 of E. A. and O. Bangs. Collected November ?>, 1893, by O. Bangs. 



General characters. — Size considerably larger than Vulpes pennsylvanica 



*This large form probably ranges throughout Boreal Eastern North 

 America generally. 



11— Biol. ,S'oc. Wash., Vol. XI, 1S'J7 (53) 



