ANIMALS OF NORTH AMERICA. 39 



territory ; is very voracious, as a proof of which Capt. Lyon, 

 who accompanied Parry, mentions having found in the stomach 

 of one which he examined " a mass of rope-yarn and line, among 

 which some plaited pieces were fully six inches long." It is 

 very cleanly, and no unpleasant smell is preceptible from it 

 an exception unknown to the rest of the species. It is of a 

 pure white in winter, becoming brownish or gray in summer. 



The following anecdote is given of the gray fox : A few 

 years since, one was started in New Jersey, and after run- 

 ning a few miles before the dogs, was shot at and apparently 

 struck, as he made several somersaults and then fell, but re- 

 covering, started off again. Another hunter next had a 

 chance, and poor Reynard again fell, was taken up and 

 carried home to all appearance a dead fox, and accordingly 

 thrown into a corner of the room. While the hunters were at 

 supper, the supposed dead animal was seen to raise himself on 

 his fore-legs, cautiously looking about to see what chance there 

 was of escape, but finding himself observed, he again resumed 

 the quiescent state. One of the party now passed a piece of 

 burning paper under his nose, but to all appearance he lay 

 senseless as a stone. The room, however, was closed for the 

 night, and it was found in the morning running about inside 

 as though nothing had happened. On examination, not a 

 bone was found broken, and with the exception of a slight 

 wound in. the shoulder and a soiled coat, he was as well as ever. 



The writer some years ago obtained a cub of the V. Fukus 

 about three weeks old, which from the care bestowed upon it, 

 became as great a favorite with his children as a dog, evin- 

 cing with them no savageness, but whining and snapping at 

 any stranger. Though chained in the garden beside an arti- 

 ficial burrow, near the resort of his owner's poultry, amongst 

 whom he had been reared, he never attempted to touch one 

 of them ; but should some luckless chicken from a neigh- 

 boring yard find its way into the limits of his tether, it 

 never returned to tell the tale. 



