CAXIS VULPES. 99 



Our view is supported by that of Professor Martens *, who had such 

 pood opportunities of examining Foxes in Japan, and has declared them 

 to be identical with the European Fox. The great variation to which 

 the Fox is subject is further illustrated by four skins brou"-ht from 

 Siberia by Seebohin : in them the hair is very long and very light in 

 colour, though the underfur is black. 



Skulls of all the varieties of the Fox hitherto described by us have 

 been carefully coni|)ared together, and the judgment which we have 

 formed from a consideration of the skins is thereby confirmed. We 

 deem them all to be but varieties, generally local ones, of Caiiis vulpes. 



The only form now remaining for consideration is the variety of the 

 Common Fox which inhabits North America. 



This animal has been supposed not only to be a species distinct from 

 the Fox of the Old World, but its subvarieties have been regarded as 

 distinct kinds distinguished by the names of the Red Fox {F.fulvm), 

 the Cross Fox (]'. deciissafitx), and the Silver or Black Fox {V. argen- 

 fafus) respectively. Fven now another form, known as /'. macrurus, 

 is treated as a separate species by Baird — a course, however, in which 

 we cannot follow him, for reasons hereinafter given. 



The red variety, /«/;•//«, is generally of a reddish-yellow colour, with 

 the hiiuler part of the back grizzled. The throat and more or less of 

 the belly are white ; the ears are black posteriorly, and the ends of 

 the hairs of the tail are black, except, of course, on the white terminal 

 portion of that organ. 



The cross variety, decKusalus, has a dark band crossing the shoulders, 

 as well as a longitudmal band in the middle of the back. The tail is 

 darker than in fulvua, and legs, muzzle, and underparts black or 

 blackish. 



The silver or black variety, argcntatus, is generally almost entirely 

 black save the tip of the tail, which is mostly white. On tlie hinder 

 half of the back the hairs are annulated with grey, as they are also on the 

 top and sides of the head and outside of the thighs. A choice skin of 



* See ' Die Preussisclie Expeditioa nach Ost-Asien,' Zoologischer Theil, p. 152 

 (Berlin, 1876). 



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