104 CANADIAN WILDS. 



Again the flesh of the arctic fox is eaten as 

 readily as that of the hare or white partridge; 

 all other foxes are carrion ; even a starving In- 

 dian would give them the go-by. 



Of the other or true fox we have many col- 

 ors and shades of color, and I give them in their 

 cash value rotation, beginning with the black 

 or pole fox; First, black or pole; second, black 

 silver; third, silver gray; fourth, black cross; 

 fifth, dark cross; sixth, ordinary cross; sev- 

 enth, light cross; eighth, dark blue (i. e., lead 

 color); ninth, light blue; tenth, bright red; 

 eleventh, light red; twelfth, arctic white; thir- 

 teenth, pale red. 



Number thirteen is the poorest quantity of 

 the fox family, and is worth less than the arctic 

 white fox. 



January is the best month for trapping. 

 First, because the fur is then at its primest, and 

 second, food is harder to get and the fox conse- 

 quently more likely to enter a trap. 



Of course, any number of traps will catch a 

 fox, but not every trap will hold him. There is 

 such a thing as the trap being too large and 

 strong, as well as .too small and weak ! When 

 too large and strong it catches too high up the 

 leg, and being too strong it breaks the bone at 

 the same time; and then in cold weather it's 

 only a question of a few minutes for the frozen 



