^60 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1816. 



tains which pass the Columbia 

 river, between the Great Fulls 

 and Rapids, and resembles in all 

 points those of the United States. 

 The large and small wolves of 

 the plains principally inhabit the 

 open country and the woodlands 

 on their borders. They resemble, 

 both in appearance and habit, 

 those of the Missoini plains. They 

 are by no means abundant in the 

 plains of the Columbia, as they 

 meet there but very little game 

 for their subsistence. 



6. The tiger-cat inhabits the 

 borders of the plains, and the 

 Avoody country in the neighbour- 

 hood of the Pacitic. This animal 

 is of a size larger than the wild 

 cat of our country, and much the 

 same in form, agility, and feroci- 

 ty. The colour of the back, neck 

 and sides, is of a reddish brown, 

 irregularly variegated with small 

 spots of dai k brown : the tail is 

 about two inches long, and nearly 

 white, except tlic extremity, which 

 is black. Jt terminates abruptly, 

 as if it had been amputated: the 

 belly is wiiite, and beautifully va- 

 riegated witli small black spots : 

 the legs are of the same colour 

 witji the sides, and the back is 

 marked transversely with black 

 stripes : the ears are black on the 

 outer side, covered with fine, 

 short hair, except at the up;.er 

 point, wliich is furnished with a 

 pencil of hair, fine, straight, and 

 black, thrcc-foiirtlis of an inch in 

 lengtli. The hair of this animal 

 is long and fine, far exceeding 

 that of tlie wild cat of the United 

 States, but inferior in that (piality 

 to that of the bear of the north- west. 

 The skin of this annialisin great 

 demand amongst the nati^■es, for 

 of tliis they form their robes, and 



it requires four to make up the 

 complement. 



7 . Of the foxes we have seen 

 sevend species. 



The large red fox of the plains, 

 and the kit-fox or small red fox 

 of the plains, are the same as are 

 found on the banks of the Mis- 

 souri. They are found almost 

 exclusively in the open plains, or 

 on the tops of brush within the 

 level coiuitry : the common jed 

 fox of the United States inhabits 

 the country bordering the coasts 

 nor docs this animal ajipcar to 

 have vuulergone any alteration. 



The black fox, or, as it is term- 

 ed in the neighbourhood of De- 

 troit, tlie fisher, is found in the 

 woody country boidering on tiie 

 coast. How it .should have acqui- 

 red this appellation it is difiicult 

 to imagine, as it certainly does 

 not prey upon lish. These ani- 

 mals are extremely strong and 

 active, and admirably exjicrt in 

 climbing: this they perform with 

 the greatest ease, and bound from 

 tree to tree in pursuit of tiiescpiir- 

 rei or racoon, their most usual 

 food. Tl'.air colour is of a jetty 

 black, excepting a smtdl white 

 spot Tipon the breast : the body is 

 long, the legs short, and resem- 

 bling those of the ordinary turn- 

 spit dog. The tail is remarkably 

 long, and not differing in other 

 particulars from that of the ordi- 

 nary fox. 



'Jhe silver fox is,an animal very 

 rare, even in the comitry he inha- 

 bits, AVe have seen notlnng biit 

 the skins of this animal, and those 

 in the pa'isession of the natives of 

 the woody coimtry below the Co- 

 lumbia Falls, which makes ns con- 

 jecture it to be an inhabitant of 

 that country excksively. From 



the 



