532 THE BREEDING OF THE ARCTIC FOX. 



females are set free, after having- been marked, and some of them have 

 been taken so often that their brushes have been quite spoiled. White 

 females are, however, always killed in order to get rid of any tendency 

 to the production of a breed that should turn white in winter and to 

 establish a stable blue breed. The traps are large enough to take 40 

 foxes at once in each. 



The practical problem of fox farms involves a psj^chological pro))- 

 lem. In order to oljtain the best results it is desirable that the foxes 

 should practice polygamy. Now, they are naturalh^ monogamous, but 

 endeavors are made to induce them to become polygamous by reduc- 

 ing the number of males. The success of these efforts is still doubt- 

 ful, but there are some encouraging indications. For example, the 

 destruction of many males has had no appreciable effect upon the 

 births. It may be noted that the collection of all the foxes into one 

 place to feed makes promiscuous gatherings, which, it is hoped, may 

 affect their moral nature. 



According to the observations at St. George Island, the foxes have 

 no predilection for any particular spot. They go about and only 

 remain in one neighborhood as long as they are satisfied with the food. 

 It is therefore eas}- to make them all come regularly to one place, and 

 this is done. Their food is left near the village, and for the most part 

 they remain thereabouts. It is eas}' to get sight both of the adults 

 and the young, ])oth of which are very curious about man and nmch 

 given to observ^ing him and his ways. 



On this island, as elsewhere, it is stated that the arctic fox is much 

 less astute than his P^uropean cousin. He allows himself to be taken 

 in the same trap several times in succession, sometimes at intervals 

 of ten minutes. Yet it will not fail to l)e remarked that neither this 

 circumstance nor the fox's not avoiding places Avhere man may be 

 scented can seriously be regarded as a mark of low intelligence, see- 

 ing that the foxes who are so often trapped and let go again are 

 thereb}' taught to regard the ambush as a joke. His experience 

 assures him there is nothing to be feared. Those who are killed never 

 return to tell the tale; and the arrangements are such that the others 

 have no reason to suspect that an}" tragedy has taken place, for they 

 are killed on a boat offshore, so that no blood may be spilled on the 

 ground. Perhaps this is needless caution, for foxes are not ver}' sus- 

 ceptible to extreme concern about deaths in their tribe, and they 

 even resort to cannibalism whenever hunger presses them to it. So 

 that the smell of blood or sight of remains of their kindred could 

 hardly be very terrible to them ; nor are their intellects so penetrating 

 that they would be likely to draw inferences in regard to their own 

 possible fate. 



Observations at St. George Island show that the fur is in its perfec- 

 tion when the animal is in its first and second year. 



