216 ANIMAL COMPETITORS 



northward to and including the border of the 

 treeless tundra. The red phase inhabits nearly 

 all this region, but the silver phase, although 

 known in most parts of it, is very irregularly 

 distributed. In general it is much more com- 

 mon in northern localities than in southern, 

 and seems especially numerous in Newfound- 

 land and on the interior heights of Labrador. 

 Altogether, it appears likely that the area 

 suitable for rearing silver foxes successfully is 

 confined to Canada, and a small strip of coun- 

 try south of it, including the higher parts of 

 the Alleghenies. Prince Edward Island has 

 already about 100 breeders, and can supply good 

 breeding-stock. 



Arrangement of breeding-quarters. It is a 

 mistake to suppose that a great space is re- 

 quired for rearing silver foxes, or a rough area 

 approximating natural conditions of fox-life. 

 Indeed, this is disadvantageous, for it tends to 

 keep the animals so wild as to be unmanage- 

 able. The endeavor should always be to tame 

 the captives as much as possible, and to do this 

 a small and uniform area is necessary. Foxes 

 thrive in enclosures not more than 40 feet 



