XIII THE BLUE FOX 419 
The Arctic Fox, Canis lagopus, is known by its bluish summer 
and pure white winter dress as “Blue Fox” and “ White Fox” 
respectively. It is an inhabitant of the Arctic north; but in 
former days, as its remains show, it descended to such southern 
latitudes as Germany and this country. The most southern 
point which it now inhabits is Iceland. This small Fox is well 
known as being one of the few animals which change their dress 
to a complete white in winter. This change is, however, not 
absolutely universal; and M. Trouessart has even stated that 
the supposed change does not exist, but that the colours are a 
question of age and sex. This Fox feeds on birds and cast-up 
carcases of Whales and Seals; it is also said to devour shell-fish, 
and actually to store up food when abundant for seasons of 
scarcity. A Fox has been observed to “carry off eggs in his 
mouth from an eider duck’s nest, one at a time, until the whole 
were removed ”; and in winter to “scratch a hole down through 
very deep snow to a cache of eggs beneath.” These anecdotes 
are told by Sir Leopold M‘Clintock; but others have also 
asserted the storing habits of this Fox, which really has only 
a short time of the year in which it can catch suitable living 
food. 
Canis vulpes, the Fox, is not only a native of England, but 
extends as far to the east as Egypt, the so-called C. aegyptiacus 
being at most a mere variety. Varieties indeed occur in these 
islands; the English Fox being redder, the Scotch greyer. Not 
only is the Fox a truly indigenous English beast, but its remains 
go back a very long way into past time. Its bones occur in the 
Red Crag, a deposit of Plocene times. Its prevalence now is no 
doubt due to its preservation as a beast of chase. It lves in 
burrows, either excavating them itself or taking possession of 
those of some other animal; the Badger suffers in this way, and 
is said to be vanquished not by the teeth of the burglarious Fox, 
but by its far fouler habits! It is curious that the expression 
“foxing” is not so suitable to this animal as to many others. 
The habit of “shamming death” is a widely-spread one in the 
animal world, but at least not common with our Fox. The 
sagacity of the Fox appears to be a little more proverbial than 
actual; literature teeyas with its accomplishments. The worthy 
Archbishop of Upsala, Olaus Magnus, figured Foxes dipping their 
tails in the streams, and then pulling out inquisitive crayfishes 
