224 The Arctic^ or White Fox, 



YULPES LAGOPUS, ThE ArCTIC FoX. 



Specific Characters. — Ears rounded, short, and folded at the edges ; 

 cheeks with a ruff ; colour in summer, brown ; in winter, 

 white. Specific 7iame from the Greek, [Lagos,) a hare, and 

 {pous) the foot, literally the harefooted Fox. 



The head of this Fox is not so much pointed as in other species of Fox, 

 and the ears present the appearance of having been cropped. 



" The cheeks are ornamented by a projecting ruff, which extends from 

 behind the ears quite round the lower part of the face, to which it gives a 

 pleasing appearance. The legs are long, the soles of the feet are covered 

 with dense woolly hair, and the claws are long and strong. 



" In winter this animal is white, but in summer it becomes brown, the 

 change taking place in May. It is well adapted to endure the severest cold, 

 and the provision which nature has made of a hairy covering, for the soles 

 of its feet enables it to run upon the glare ice without slipping, or ujjon the 

 snow without sinking into it." 



The following description of its habits is given by Audubon and 

 Bachman : — 



" The Arctic Fox is a singular anim.al, presenting rather the appearance 

 of a little stumpy, round-eared cur, than that of the sharp and cunning-looking 

 Foxes of other species which are found in more temperate climes. The 

 character (for all animals have a character) and habits of this species are in 

 accordance with its appearance ; it is comparatively unsuspicious and gentle, 

 and is less snappish and spiteful, even when first captured, than any other 

 Fox with which we are acquainted. 



" At times there is seen a variety of this Fox, which has been called the 

 Sooty Fox, but which is in all probability only the young, or at any rate is 

 not a permanent variety, and which does not turn white in winter, although 

 the species generally becomes white at that season. It is said likewise thai 

 the white Arctic Foxes do not assume a brown tint in the summer.. — 

 Eichardson says that only a majority of these animals acquire the pure white 

 dress even in winter ; many have a little duskiness on the nose, and others, 

 probably young individuals, remain more or loss coloured on the body all the 

 year. On the other hand, a pure white Arctic Fox is occasionally met with 

 in the middle of summer, and forms the variety named Kakkortak by the 

 Greenlauders. 



" Mr. William Morton, ship's steward of the Advance, one of Mr. Henry 

 Grinnell's vessels sent in search of Sir John Franklin and his party, although 

 not a naturalist, has furnished us with some account of this species. He 

 informs us that while the vessels (the Advance and Eescue) were in the ice, 

 the men caught a good many Arctic Foxes in traps made of old empty 

 barrels on the ice ; they caught the same individuals in the same trap several 

 times, their hunger or their want of caution leading them again into the 

 barrel when only a short time released from captivity. 



