54 NATURAL HISTORY ESSAYS 



pervaded by the bluish tinge above mentioned, thus 

 constituting the animal a "blue" fox. A living 

 specimen examined by the writer on May 12, 1906, 

 was brown all over with a bluish tinge on the cheeks ; 

 the median area of the face, the ears, and the feet 

 were dark brown. The intensity of tint gradually 

 paled from before backwards, and the tail and a 

 patch on each buttock was quite light-coloured. 

 This animal had a white patch under the chin, and 

 a few white hairs were sprinkled in the coat. 



In winter the fur is longer and thicker ; though 

 still grey at the roots, the individual hairs become 

 tipped with white. The white hairs originally 

 sprinkled through the coat also increase in number ; 

 so that with the gradual substitution of white for 

 grey in the other hairs, the little animal in his snowy 

 winter coat bears small resemblance to the dusky 

 fellow of June. All the foxes do not, however, 

 change colour at the same season, and some do not 

 assume the winter coat at all ; thus Fischer and 

 Pelzeln noted grey foxes as late as December 27, 

 though they saw the first white one as early as 

 November 21. l Many individuals retain even in 

 midwinter a little duskiness on the snout ; the white 

 fur is patched here and there with lemon yellow, and 

 a specimen now in the Natural History Museum 

 (taken in Discovery Harbour, Grantland, by the 



1. Foxes which remain " blue " have the best pelts from November till 

 the end of February ; after which time the fur begins to turn brown and 

 later almost yellow. 



