TJie Home of tJic Wolverene and Beaver. 143 



that of the sable. The under fur is unusually long 

 and dense, measuring in some places two inches, 

 and is exceedingly fine, feeling to the hand as soft 

 as the finest cotton wool and surrounding the whole 

 body even to the tail ; the hair composing this fur, 

 when viewed separately, exhibits a crimped or wavy 

 appearance, and so thoroughly has nature armed 

 this animal against the severe climate it frequents, 

 that the very soles of the feet are thickly clothed 

 with woolly hair, leaving no callous spots visible. 

 From its great length and density the beauty of this 

 fur may be imagined, and its colouring considerably 

 enhances its appearance. The under fur is uniformly 

 of a chocolate brown, whilst the hairs on the neck, 

 and on a dorsal line extending to the root of the 

 tail, are black. Some skins are perfectly black, 

 others of a bluish-gray, but it is most commonly 

 found with parts of its fur hoary, the shiny black 

 coat being thickly interspersed with white tipped 

 hairs, from which circumstance it derives its name 

 of the "silver" fox. The tail is tipped with white, by 

 which it can always be recognised, though there is 

 little chance of mistaking so beautiful an animal. 

 Like all of its tribe, the silver fox is very shy, and 

 the trappers have marvellous tales of its cunning 

 and sagacity. Its scientific name is canis argentatus. 

 The other species of fox, the red, the arctic, and 



