116 Order CARNIVORA 



The gray fox appears to be even more omnivorous than the 

 red fox and feeds on a variety of things, including quantities of 

 berries, fruits, acorns, and seeds, as well as mice, rabbits, insects, 

 and, occasionally, birds. 



Three to five young per litter are born in the spring. In de- 

 velopment and behavior they are very similar to the young of 

 the red fox. 



Signs. — Tracks of the gray fox, fig. 27, can be distinguished 

 from those of the red fox only when they are made under the 

 most ideal conditions. Impressions of the relatively thick ball 

 pads of the gray fox may sometimes be seen in thin layers of 

 mud or snow. 



The droppings of the gray fox, like those of the red, contain 

 large amounts of rabbit and mouse fur and bones, and, during 

 the summer and fall, usually fruit seeds. 



Distribution. — The gray fox is common in Illinois only in 

 rather heavily wooded areas, but is state-wide in distribution. 

 It is represented in Illinois by the subspecies Urocyon cinereo- 

 argenteus cinereoargenteiis (Schreber). The range of the spe- 

 cies includes the eastern half of the United States and most of 

 the southwestern quarter; also it includes Mexico and countries 

 southward as far as Colombia. It does not include much of the 

 short-grass prairie area or the Rocky Mountain region north of 

 Colorado. 



CAN IS LATRANS Say 

 Coyote Prairie Wolf 



Distribution. — The coyote, fig. 71, somewhat resembles a 

 German "shepherd" (police) dog in size, conformation, and 

 color, but it carries its tail below the level of its back rather 

 than curved upward. The upper part of the body is a grizzled 

 gray or buf¥, the muzzle reddish brown or gray, and the under 

 parts are whitish, cream colored, or pinkish yellow. The tail is 

 bushy, the snout narrow and long, the ears are pointed, and the 

 legs long. 



Length measurements: head and body 32-39 inches (815-990 

 mm.); tail about 12-15 inches (300-375 mm.); over-all 44-54 

 inches (1,120-1,375 mm.) ; hind foot about 7-8 inches (180^211 

 mm.); ear about 4— 4l/^ inches (100-115 mm.). Weight: 25 

 pounds to possibly 55 pounds. 



