242 EXPLORATIONS IN THE FAR NORTH 



Wolfskins are purchased from the Indians for from 6to 10 MB. 

 Wolves are found throughout this region, but are not abun- 

 dant in any portion visited except in the Barren Ground. 



Canis vulpes Linn. Fox. 



Red, U-se-se-wuk-is-u; Cross, ; Silver, Su-ni-au-uk-i-su, 



Black, Kus-ki-la-muk-e-su, C. 



Red, Nu-ki-te-kwo n ; Cross, Nu-ki-ak-len-i-tzu; Silver, Nu-ki-wi- 



lan-di; Black, Nu-ki-te-zo n , D. R. 



Red, Ek-o-tso; Cross, Nm-u-lri; Silver, ; Black, Ak-e-ri, L. 



Red, Nun -ki -de -co; doss, Nun-ki-de-zo n -be-ke-te-co-de-ze; 



Silver, Nun-ki-de-zo n -be-ge-le-ko-te-ge; Black, Nun-ki-de- 



zo n , S. 



While I saw several hundred foxskins during my journey, I 

 have had no opportunity to study either specimens or the 

 literature concerning them sufficiently to feel justified in plac- 

 ing the fox in a separate genus from those admittedly belong- 

 ing to the genus Canis. Flower and Lydekker 1 state that, 

 "The best cranial character by which the different members of 

 the genus {Ca?ris) can be distinguished is that pointed out by 

 Burmeister, viz., that in the animals generally called dogsi 

 wolves, and jackals the postorbital process of the frontal bone 

 is regularly smooth and convex above with its extremity bent 

 downwards whereas in the foxes this process is hollowed above, 

 with its outer margin (particularly of the anterior border) some- 

 what raised." 



I have seen litters of young containing both red and cross 

 foxes. The natives assured me that they had found red, cross, 

 and silver foxes in the same family. The skins show every 

 possibleshade of intergradation between these varieties. Among 

 about fifty silver foxskins which I saw there were four which 

 were practically black. 



night amongst the buildings of the post." Dawson, Capt. H. P., Observa- 

 tions of the International Circumsolar Expedition, Rae, p. 13. 



Franklin gives the measurements of one which was killed at Fort Enter- 

 prise, east of Rae, during the winter of 1821-22. It was 4 feet, 4 inches 

 long, including the tail, 5 feet and 4 inches; height, 2 feet, 10 inches. Nar- 

 rative, p. 655. 



1 An Introduction to the Study of Mammals, p. 547. 



