18 On the Fur-bearing Animals 



Respecting any special difference between the three varieties, I 

 can see but very little. The cross fox is generally the largest, and 

 the silver fox the most thickly furred. Some trappers profess to know 

 by the shape of the foot, whether a specimen be that of a silver 

 fox or not ; their idea being that the foot of that variety is more 

 rounded than the others. But I have often seen them mistaken. 

 The foot-prints of a young fox of whatever colour, have always 

 this appearance, and the foot of the female is more pointed than 

 that of the male. A popular fallacy also prevails among the 

 " winterers," that a silver fox is more cunning than one of any 

 other colour. I imagine the scarcity of the silver variety origin- 

 ated this fancy. 



The foxes of this district are generally of a very large size, and 

 I am doubtful if they do not belong rather to the Macrourus than 

 the Fulvus species. A series of measurements which I will here- 

 after get taken will decide the question. 



The foxes inhabiting the barren grounds often present an ap- 

 pearance similar to that of the Sampson fox, the long hairs of the 

 body and tail are wanting, leaving the soft woolly fur entirely 

 exposed in some specimens, and in others partly so, particularly 

 the sides of the thighs. The natives attribute this to their living 

 so much in their holes, which are generally among rocks, and 

 not roaming about so frequently as those inhabiting the wooded 

 country which often do not visit their dens for weeks together. 



The following table shows the proportion of each color traded 

 in this district during the last ten years, and will give a very 

 accurate idea of the relative number of each variety. 



Red-i^ Cross-^g- Silver^g. 



Foxes are most prevalent around the great lakes, and on the 

 shores of the Arctic sea. On the Mackenzie River they are also 

 tolerably numerous, but towards the Mountains up the Liard's 

 River they become very scarce. 



There are several- methods by which foxes are caught and killed, 

 which I will pass in review, detailing those which differ from any 

 already described. 1. By wooden traps ; 2. by gin or steei traps ; 

 3. by set guns; 4. by snaring; 5. by hook and line ; 6. by 

 hunting ; T. by unearthing ; 8. by ice-trap, and 9. by poisoning. 



Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 7, have been already noticed, I shall therefore 

 commence with 



No. 4, By snaring^ This is not a very efficacious method, 



