Wolves and Foxes 



^, Sitka Bear. Ursus siikensis Merriam. Rather smaller than 

 the Yakutat bear but structure of teeth different from any 

 of the above and approaching the black bears. 

 Range. Sitkan coast region, Alaska. 

 5. Kidder's Bear. Ursus kidderi Merriam. Allied to the Yakutat 

 bear, but smaller, with smaller teeth. 

 Range. Alaskan Peninsula. 



WOLVES AND FOXES 



Family Canidce 



The dogs and their allies, the wolves and foxes, resemble the 

 cats in being digitigrade, or walking on the toes, and in having 

 only four toes on the hind feet, but differ in having their claws 

 duller, shorter, and not retractile. 



Red Fox 



Vulpes fjilvus (Desmarest) 



Calkd also Cross Fox, Silver Fox, Black Fox. 



Length. 40 inches. 



Description. Fulvous or rusty red, grayish on the rump and flanks* 

 hairs of the tail black toward the end, tip of tail whitish; legs 

 black, partly white on the inside; throat white; ears largely 

 tipped with black. Considerable variation occurs in the 

 colouration of the red fox, especially in the northern part of 

 his range. One phase similar to the above, but with a black 

 band across the shoulders and another along the back, is 

 known as the "cross fox," while the "silver fox" is a gray 

 phase and the "black fox" a black phase of the same 

 animal. 



Range. Northern North America south to Georgia. Replaced in 

 Nova Scotia and Newfoundland by slightly different varieties. 



The reputation for shrewdness and cunning which the fox 

 has always borne is well-earned and indisputable. One of the 

 most characteristic traits of the whole fox tribe is the quickness 

 with which they gather experience and learn to avoid new 

 dangers. The early settlers found little difficulty in trapping and 



264 



