The terrestrial mammals and birds of North-East Greenland. 43 



is by no means particular in the choice of food, and in case of 

 need it will be content with almost anything. Yet decidedly its 

 chief and favourite prey is the lemming, and the great abundance 

 of foxes in the country is probably due to this animal. As else- 

 where mentioned the autumn 1906 was extremely rich in lemmings 

 in the districts where I was wandering about, and every day I had 

 the opportunity of observing one or several foxes exclusively occu- 

 pied with the pursuit of the lemming. In exceptional cases I saw 

 a fox on the beach or the inlet ice, in such localities on the whole 

 where the animal might be supposed to search for food of another 

 kind. The stomachs of about 40 foxes which I had for examination 

 this autumn, nearly all contained rests of lemmings and almost 

 nothing else. 



In the winter 1906 — 07 the lemming disappeared almost com- 

 pletely from great areas of country, a fact which again involved a 

 striking difference as to the manner of living of the fox. It is 

 true that even in 1907 I now and then saw foxes in pursuit of lem- 

 mings, but the profit of this chase was extremely insignificant, as 

 was shown distinctly enough by the stomach analyses made. The 

 foxes were obliged to take up other means of living. Often I saw 

 them intruding themselves on the ice bears, trying very obtrusively 

 to get a part of their meals and even eating their badly digested 

 excrements with great voracity. I now often found rests of seals in 

 the stomachs of the foxes. Along the shore and near open cracks 

 in the ice, the fox was also frequently to be found, probably seek- 

 ing to get hold of the little fishes or other small marine animals 

 which had been washed up here or screwed up by the current. In 

 a few stomachs of foxes I found bones of fishes. 



The meat depots of the expedition were now haunted by foxes 

 more than formerly, even in the early autumn, when normally the 

 fox will be revelling in lemmings. In August 1907 a shot walrus 

 was thus deposited near the coast on Snenæs and carefully over- 

 heaped with large stones and a thick layer of earth. By means of 

 an incredible energy the foxes made their way to the carcass which 

 became quite undermined by fox passages in comparatively short 

 time. When some of the travellers went to get the meat later on, 

 it had been completely devoured by foxes. (Near this depot a white 

 wolf was seen as well.) In October five foxes were caught at the 

 depot, and at least twice the number was seen. The five foxes 

 were all extremely well-nourished. In their stomachs walrus meat 

 was found most essentially. 



On Hvalrosodden some rests of walrusses were likewise deposited. 

 Here the foxes appeared in still greater numbers than on Snenæs. 



