98 CAKNIVORA. 



imported by the Hudson's Bay Company ; the few skins 

 which are sometimes sold by them are probably brought 

 to one of their Southern posts by a trader. 



The Pennsylvanian and Southern State Grey Fox is 

 the most numerous variety of this species, and may be 

 taken as the type. 



The general colour is grey or dark grey, the back 

 being covered with long coarse hair, each hair being of 

 two colours, two lines of black, two of white, of alternate 

 marking. The under fur is dark drab or blue. The 

 ears are dark grey and red, and white inside ; the throat 

 is white ; the whiskers black ; the chest is red, and the 

 belly white, and covered with soft fur ; the sides are 

 usually striped with a red or reddish colour — this varies 

 considerably in different individuals. The tail is long 

 and silvery, of the same colour as the back, but red 

 underneath, and marked at the top with a stripe of 

 blackish hair — in fact a black line ; the tip of the tail is 

 black. The eyes are dark brown or black, and the nose 

 is black. 



The Grey Fox is about 2i- feet long. It appears to 

 interbreed occasionally with the Eed Fox, and sometimes 

 with the Coyote or Prairie Fox. 



It has been confounded with the Kitt Fox, from which, 

 however, it is readily distinguished by its larger size, by 

 the coarseness of its hair, its different colour and distri- 

 bution, by its longer tail, which has the characteristic 

 black line, and by its thicker pelt. 



The Virginian Fox is sometimes hunted, but it is soon 

 killed, after an hour's chase. It does not run so straight 

 as the Eed Fox, but runs in circles, and sometimes takes 

 to trees. 



Its fur is a serviceable one ; it is made into excellent 

 wrappers, trimmings, etc. It is much used in England 



