THE COMMON FOX. 243 



in the west, derived from old Indians, and men- 

 tioned by Bartram, we presume may relate to the 

 red foxes of America, who, anterior to that period, 

 may have existed more in the interior ; for if the 

 presence of the European common fox is still dis- 

 puted, how could Indians be proper judges whe- 

 ther the red species were indigenous or foreign ; 

 and as for their being found in California, how 

 could they have reached that still more remote 

 region, since we are by no means certain that they 

 exist in the north-east of Asia ? 



The fox measures in length about two feet five 

 inches, the tail one foot three inches, and the 

 height at the shoulder and croup, one foot two 

 inches and one foot three inches. Some races are 

 smaller, and that of Norway longer, but not more 

 elevated on the legs. The plane of the nose and 

 forehead are even more rectilinear than that of the 

 common greyhound ; the head is broad ; the snout 

 sharp ; the forehead flat ; the eyes are placed 

 obliquely ; the ears erect ; the body is well covered 

 with hair; and the tail is cylindrical, forming a 

 brush with a somewhat pointed end. In colour, 

 the fur of the forehead, back, and tail, varies from 

 yellowish red to paler yellow, and there is often a 

 considerable mixture of grisly white, and at other 

 times of blackish stipples, or black pointed hairs, 

 mixed with it ; whitish or ash colour is still more 

 visible on the forehead, the rump, and hams ; the 

 lips, cheeks, and throat are white, as well as a 

 line of the same on the inner surface of the legy ; 



