704. 



Life-histories of Northern Animals 



together the year around, and during May the father certainly 

 lived in the den with the family. 



These Alberta Kits were known to prey largely on Mice, 

 and when there was snow on the ground they several times 

 showed great cleverness in catching the prairie-chickens that 

 slept in the soft drifts. 



At one time the Swift was believed to be the speediest 

 four-foot on the Plains. This, however, proves to be an error. 



Fig. 189 — Life study of the Algerian Kit-foi, 



UNSUS- 



PICIOUS- 



NESS 



It is very swift, no doubt, but a small animal always appears to 

 be going faster than it really is, and the rapidity with which it 

 gets up speed and disappears into a hole, when startled, helps 

 to give a wrong impression of its velocity. In the scale of speed 

 I should place it a little higher than the Coyote. 



It is the least cunning of our Foxes, so unsuspicious that 

 it readily takes the poisoned baits so much used nowadays 

 for killing Coyotes; and in this we find the reason for its rapid 

 disappearance before settlement. 



In captivity it is easily managed and breeds freely, yet 

 continues shy. Audubon and Bachman' relate of a captive 

 specimen: "He drank more water than Foxes generally do, 

 seemed anxious to play or wash in the cup which held his sup- 



' Quad. N. A., 1849, Vol. II, p. 16. 



