260 THE STORY OF THE TRAPPER 



can answer that question. Nor will study of all the 

 park specimens in the world tell the secret, for the 

 simple reason that only an Arctic climate can pro 

 duce a silver fox; and parks are not established in 

 the Arctics yet. It is quite plain that the prairie fox 

 is in a class by himself. The uniformity of his size, his 

 strength, his habits, his appearance, distinguish him 

 from other foxes. It is quite plain that the little kit 

 fox or swift is of a kind distinct from other foxes. 

 His smallness, the shape of his bones, the cast of his 

 face, the trick of sitting rather than lying, that won 

 derful big bushy soft tail of which a peacock might 

 be vain all differentiate him from other foxes. The 

 same may be said of the Arctic fox with a pelt that is 

 more like white wool than hairs of fur. He is much 

 smaller than the red. His tail is bushier and larger 

 than the swift, and like all Arctic creatures, he has 

 the soles of his feet heavily furred. All this is plain 

 and simple classification. But how about Mr. Blue 

 Fox of the same size and habit as the w r hite Arctic? Is 

 he the Arctic fox in summer clothing? Yes, say some 

 trappers; and they show their pelts of an Arctic fox 

 taken in summer of a rusty white. But no, vow other 

 trappers that is impossible, for here are blue fox- 

 skins captured in the depths of midwinter with not a 

 white hair among them. Look closely at the skins. 

 The ears of one blue fox are long, perfect, unbitten by 

 frost or foe he was a young fellow; and he is blue. 

 Here is another with ears almost worn to stubs by 

 fights and many winters frosts he is an old fellow; 

 and he, too, is blue. Well, then, the blue fox may 

 sometimes be the white Arctic fox in summer dress; 

 but the blue fox who is blue all the year round, varying 



