110 MAMMALS. 



Dr. Nowborry mentions some other facts regarding the distribution of these two species. He saj^s, 

 " that in Ohio, Kentucky, and Michigan, the most densely wooded of the middle States, the pioneer 

 settler found only the grey Fox, or at least that species occupied the territory so nearly exclusively 

 tliat they considered any others as, like themselves, interlopers. As the forest gradually fell before 

 the axe of the woodman, and broad and continuous stretches of waving grain replaced the thickly-set 

 trunks of oak, asli, and hickory, the grey Fox became gradually more rare, while the swifter, stronger, 

 and more cunning red Fox by degrees almost entirely usurped its place. Hence the farmers supposed 

 they had themselves introduced this farm-yard pest, and that it had been the companion of their 

 migration from the east ; and as it was then confounded with the common Fox of Europe ( V. viilgnrk) 

 it was supposed to be an importation, which ultimately would drive off its weaker relative and possess 

 the continent. 



" Since, however, the red Fox has been found in various j)laces in the Far West, and spread over 

 all the region west of the Rocky Mountains, and the red Fox of America has been pronounced different 

 from the red Fox of Europe, this theory falls to the ground, and we must look for some other cause to 

 accoxmt for the usurpation of the habitat of the grey Fox by the red. 



" The grey Fox is evidently best fitted by nature for the occupation of a wooded country ; he even 

 has to a certain degree the power of climbing trees not possessed by the Ttcd Fox, while he rarely or 

 never forms burrows, having no cover but such as the forest furnishes, and thus is comparatively 

 tmprotected in an open country, where the red Fox would be quite at home. To these difierences of 

 habit, rather than to any other cause, I woidd attribute the change of distribution noticed in the two 

 species." * 



On the subject of the red Fox being possibly of recoit introduction. Dr. Baird remarks that 

 the fact of their present abundance and extent of distribution is no barrier to the reception of 

 this idea, as the same has been the case vsith horses brought over and set at liberty by the 

 SjDaniards, after the discoveiy of America. As is well known the immense herds of these animals 

 in Mexico, Texas, and the "Western plains, are the lineal descendants of the imported horse, 

 l^or is there any serious difficulty to be met with in the diiferent characteristics of the American 

 animal, as the finer fur, brighter colour, narrower and more delicate head, sharper muzzle, &c., 

 as it is in precisely such peculiarities tliat the Auglo-Amei'ican race differs from its English 

 stock. 



The establishment and spread of the common brown rat, wherever man has gone, might be 

 cited as another instance of rapid colonisation, but neither of them is quite a parallel case. It is 

 not as if there were no other North American species similar to our Fox, from which 

 the American spe'.-ies miglit have been derived. There is another species very closely allied to 

 it, which is found in Central America, and is not imagined by Dr. Baird to be other than a 

 good native species. He calls it a magnificent Fox, "the finest species known," but so like the 

 common species "that it is difficult to describe it intelligibly except by comparison mth the 

 other species." Another difficulty is that C. ruLvus, the species supposed to be derived from 

 the English Fox, is said to be also found in Japan, where certainly the English Fox was never 

 imported nor turned loose. It m;iy be that the determination of the Japanese species by 

 Temminck is erroneous, the ratlier that he records it under the name of C. augexteus (which is 

 that of the silverj^ variety of the American Fox), and moreover specifies the common English Fox as 



* Xewue[i:;v, Report, in op. cil. vol vi. p. 'A'.). 



