MAMMALS AND BIRDS OK ALASKA 



19 



There are 2 distinct species and 5 did'erent color varieties in the 

 Alaska foxes. The red fox produces cross variants in the ratio of 

 about 1 to S, and silvers about 1 to 20. Members of the genus Vulpes 

 (red foxes) are found in nearly all parts of the Territory (fig. 19), 

 being missing only from the timb(^red islands off the southern coast. 

 The Arctic foxes (Alopex) are represented by the white fox of th(> 

 northwest coast and the blue fox (fig. 20) of the Aleutian Island region. 

 Foxes of this genus are smaller than red fox(^s. They arc beach- 

 combers, seldom traveling inland more than a few miles. At times, 



■S^^'f^'^. 



DISTRIBUTION 



BLUE FOX. RED FOX 



AND 



WHITE FOX 



'in ALASKA 1936 



Figure 19. — DLstribution of foxes. 



great numbers of white foxes roam for long periods far out on the 

 floating ice of the Arctic seas. The blue foxes have long been 

 raised on various islands in the Aleutian Chain and in southeastern 

 Alaska; in fact only a very small part of the annual take consists of 

 wild-caught animals. Together, the red, cross, silver, blue, and white 

 foxes produce almost as much revenue as all other fur animals com- 

 bined. The annual catch exceeds .35,000 pelts, valued at more than 

 $1,000,000. 



The beaver, one of Alaska's most important fur animals, is well 

 distributed throughout the mainland river valleys (fig. 21) wherever 

 its favorite foods, the cottonwoods and willows, grow. Bc^aver 



