FOXES AND FOX-FARMING 211 



local varieties as might easily arise in different 

 climates and from local peculiarities of food 

 throughout the whole northern world. It is 

 convenient to name them as species, but it is 

 practically the same "Reynard the Fox" right 

 around the globe. 



"Our American form," to quote again from my 

 Life of '.. .Mammals heretofore mentioned, "seems 

 especially variable since its typical yellowish red, 

 darkest on the back and shoulders, may be very bright 

 or very pale ; or may have the markings on the spine 

 and withers very dark and distinct, making it a 

 'cross fox,' or be totally black with a white-tipped 

 tail ; or black, with the tips of most of the hairs white, 

 giving the fur a frosted or 'silver' appearance. . . . 



"Foxes everywhere are naturally burrowers and 

 nocturnal hunters of ground-nesting birds from ducks 

 and geese to sparrows, and of their eggs; rodents of 

 every sort, frogs, lizards, insects, and in summer and 

 autumn fruit and berries. Some of the prey is got 

 by running it down, for the fox is fleet; some by 

 digging it out of its underground holes; some by 

 stalking it with crafty caution; some by lying appar- 

 ently dead until the victim approaches near enough 

 to be seized by a catlike pounce. These are the es- 

 sential tactics of its food getting in all lands, the fare 

 and the method varying with the country; and end- 

 less stratagems match the native precautions of the 

 small quarry. All the larger cats and wolves are its 



