56 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION 
manent, national organization, representatives of the fur trade, the 
tur farms, the game wardens and commissioners, and the government 
experts could be called together. 
POLAR OR ARCTIC FOX 
(Vulpes lagopus) 
The polar fox is found in the high latitudes. It is of two 
colour phases—white, and the so-called blue, which is really a slate- 
coloured gray. The white fox is brown in summer with the under parts 
lighter or drab. The white winter coat has a pure white long over- 
fur with an underwool of a darker colour. The blue phase is of a gray- 
slate colour all the year round and is found more abundantly in the 
southern portion of the range of these foxes. It is said to exist in 
Greenland and Iceland. The number of blue fox pelts sold annually 
is about one-tenth of the number of white fox, and they sell for sev- 
eral times as much, bringing, at present market prices, from $20 to 
$75 each, and even higher for choice pelts. 
A considerable number of blue foxes were imported into Canada 
during the season of 1912. Possibly a hundred or more were brought 
into the Maritime Provinces from Alaska, where feeding is now dif- 
ficult because the killing of seals is not permitted. One consignment 
numbered thirty-two and arrived in very fair condition. They were 
sold to ranchers at about $800 a pair. No information was obtained 
to show whether the experiments in breeding these animals in their new 
environment had been successful or not. 
The following account of blue fox farming is taken from 
Eve beg “Fur Farming for Profit,’ published by the Fur News 
- Publishing Co., of New York: 
“For some years past the blue fox has been successfully raised 
in rather large numbers on several small islands off the coast of Alaska, 
and for a shorter period on the mainland. The blue fox thrives and 
multiplies in captivity, and can be raised with rather more satisfaction 
than the other members of the fox family, as it is more tractable and 
easily managed. An island makes an excellent blue fox farm for vari- 
ous reasons; there is no large outlay in cash for fencing; as the is- 
lands are surrounded by the sea, the water does not freeze over in 
winter and the foxes cannot leave the farm; no danger is to be appre- 
hended from the intrusion of other animals; a considerable supply of 
food may be obtained from the sea, which is to a considerable extent 
self-supplied; crabs are found along the shore, fish are washed up on 
