FOXES 79 



in the trails through the chaparral, accumulations of feathers in clearings 

 where birds had been eaten, and even momentary glimpses of the foxes 

 themselves, all testified to the abundance of the species. In fact we were 

 led to suspect that the paucity of small mammals in certain places might 

 be due in part to the relatively large numbers of Gray Foxes present. 

 Estimates as to the actual population of foxes are difficult to make, but 

 there must be, in favorable situations, at least two pairs to a square mile. 



The Gray Fox is often active during the daytime ; the members of our 

 party saw at least three individuals at large during the midday hours. 

 Two explanations may be suggested for this peculiarity of behavior: (1) 

 In the chaparral a fox would usually be as well screened from view as 

 though it were operating under cover of darkness. (2) At certain seasons 

 vegetable materials predominate in the diet of this fox, and it is quite as 

 easy to forage for such food during the daylight hours. 



When moving about, a Gray Fox usually travels at a rapid trot, a gait 

 which carries it over the ground with considerable speed, but without 

 obvious effort. To judge from the tracks seen in some places, individuals 

 do considerable scouting. In Yosemite Valley on the snowy day of Decem- 

 ber 10, 1914, the tracks of at least three foxes were observed between Mirror 

 Lake and the foot of the Tenaya trail. They had covered a great deal 

 of ground, mostly off the trail, going over and under boulders and through 

 the brush thickets in their search for prey. 



In general outline, the track of the Gray Fox resembles a dog's, but it 

 is much smaller, being about an inch in each dimension. In the soft dust 

 of roadways imprints of the claws are often made in addition to those of 

 the four toes and the foot pad. 



In silhouette the Gray Fox presents a slender body, relatively large ears, 

 and a bushy tail, though that member is not quite so large proportionately 

 as it is in the Red Fox. The presence of much steel-gray or iron-gray in 

 the body coloration readily distinguishes the Gray Fox from the Red Fox, 

 which is of similar general size but has larger ears, and from the coyote, 

 which is much larger. 



The most common note heard from the fox is a sharp bark, dog-like in 

 character, and never prolonged like the wail of a coyote. A trapped fox 

 sometimes makes growling sounds when a person approaches. It is prob- 

 able that in the wild a fox gives voice just about as a dog would do under 

 similar circumstances. 



The Gray Fox is classed as a carnivore (flesh-eater) by reason of its 

 structure and relationship, yet it partakes extensivelj^ of food that is 

 vegetable in nature. During the fall and early winter months we saw 

 many fox droppings along the trails which consisted largely and often 



