62 THE ARCTIC FOXES. Chap. V. 



We once captured a litter of three cubs (early in September, 

 1853) ; they were exactly the colour of the dark greyish- 

 brown stones amongst which they were found ; such fierce 

 little fellows, with most restless eyes, and pliant weasel- 

 shaped bodies. 



Not unfrequently foxes would venture on board our ships 

 during the winter nights, and even be caught in traps set for 

 them on deck. I find in my journal for December, 1852, 

 at Melville Island, that, " a wretched-looking, but most lucky 

 fox has been caught three times, and each time hunted by 

 the dogs ; the last time Lion opened his huge mouth to 

 seize it, but the spirited little creature turned, bit him in the 

 foot, and escaped. Had this miserable little fox been worth 

 the skinning, its life would have paid the forfeit of its first 

 capture. We consider a fox which weighs eight pounds to 

 be a large one." When irritated they give a short half- 

 suppressed bark, and sometimes when hunting they utter a 

 strange cry, which always puzzled our men, who would take 

 it for that of a hawk, a goose, or a gull. 



I fancy that birds and lemmings form their ordinary prey. 

 Captain Collinson attributed the success of his hunting- 

 parties at Walker Bay, in shooting hares, to their having 

 killed off all the foxes. 



Besides hunting on their own account, they appear to 

 follow the bears to pick up their scraps. Yet how this brave 

 little fellow lives is a marvel ; he is so small that the geese 

 and larger gulls often successfully resist his attempts upon 

 their broods. 



The men are exercised at building snow huts ; for winter 

 or early spring travelling, this knowledge is almost indis- 

 pensable. Upon a calm day the temperature of the external 

 air being — 33 , within a snow hut the thermometer stood 

 1 7 higher, this important difference being due to the trans- 

 mission of heat through the ice from the sea beneath. 



