138 U. 8. P. R. R. EXP. AlfD SITRVEYS ZOOLOGY GENERAL REPORT. 



VULPES (UROCYON) VIRGINIANUS. 



Gray Fox. 



Canii rirginianui, ERXLEBEN, Systema Regni-Animalis, 1777, 567 (from Catesby). 



SCHRIBBR, Satigt. Ill, 1778, 361 ; pi. xcii, (Virginische Fuchs very poor fig. in text ) 

 GM. Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 74. 

 SHAW, Gen.Zol. I, 1800, 325, (from Catesby.) 

 HARLAN, F. Am. 1825, 89. 

 GRIFF. Cuv. V, 1827, 150. 



Canw (Vulpts) virginianus, RICH. F. B. A. I, 1829, 96. 

 t'ulpei tirginianus, DEKAY, N. Y. Zool. I, 1842, 45; pi. vii, f. 2. 



AUD. & BACH. N. A. Quad I, 1849, 162; pi. xxi. 

 Canis cinerto-argentatus, ERXLEBEN, Syst. An. 1777, 576. 



SCHREBER, Saugt. Ill, 1778, 360; pi. xcii. (Grw Fuchs in text.) 

 GM. Syst. Nat I, 1788, 74. 

 SHAW, Gen. Zool. I, 1800, 324, (from Schreber.) 

 DESMAREST, Mamr. I, 1820, 204, (mixed with other specie.) 

 HARLAK, F. Am. 1825, 90. 

 GRIFF. Cuv. V, 1827, 148. 

 GODMAN, Am. N. H. I, 280. 

 F. Cuv. Suppl. Buffon, Mam. I, 1831, 187. 

 DOUGHTY, CAB. N. H. II, 1832, 145; pi. xiv. 



WAGNER, Suppl Schreb. II, 1841, 436. Applies partly to Vulpes velox. 

 Canis griseus, BODDAERT, Elenchus Anim. 1, 1784, 97. (Gray Fox of Pennant.) 

 Gray Fox, CATESBY 's Carolina, II, 1731, 78; pi. Ixxviii, (very bad figure.) 



PENNANT, Syn. Quad. 1776, 157, (from Catesby.) IB. Hist. Quad. 1781, No. 160 IB. Arctic 



Zoology, I, 1784, 48. 

 ? Corsak Fox, PENN. Hist. Quad. 1781, 235. IB. Arctic Zool. I, 1784, 47. (Based on a drawing, by Taylor White, 



of an animal from North America, possibly of this species.) 

 Renard tricolor, St. Hilaire & Cuv. Hist des Mammif. II, 1819; plate. 



Sp. Cn. Head and body a little aver two feet in length. Tail rather more than half as long. Tail with a concealed mane 

 of stiff bristly hairs. Prevailing color mixed hoary and black; convexity aud base of ears, sides of neck, edge of belly, and 

 considerable portion of fore legs rusty or cinnamon. Band encircling the muzzle, much dilated on the chin, black. Throat 

 and lower half of face pure white. Tail hoary on the sides; a distinct stripe above and the tip black; rusty beneath. 



In the absence of fresh specimens I am unable to give any accurate account of the form of the 

 gray fox, although the body is decidedly stouter and the head shorter and broader than in the 

 red foxes. The hair is of two kinds, a soft waved under fur, completely concealed from view 

 by rather stiff and coarse long hair. The ears are high and somewhat pointed, covered densely 

 with hair, except immediately around the meatus. The legs appear rather short. There are 

 four toes on the fore foot on one plane, and a rudimentary thumb, armed with a sharp claw, 

 about an inch higher up. There are but four toes on the hind feet. There are five naked 

 callosities or pads on each foot, one under each toe, and one under the ball. On the fore foot is 

 an additional callosity of small size under the carpus. The tail is large and bushy, and with 

 the hairs, is about as long as the trunk, exclusive of head and neck. Some specimens would 

 seem to indicate that the tail is longer in the male than in the female. There is a tendency to 

 a compression of the tail instead of its being uniformly bushy all round. As in the body, there 

 is a softer wool between the long hairs of the tail, except along the upper surface, where stiff 

 hairs prevail exclusively, forming a kind of mane. 



