RESULTS. 37 



foxes, captured casually, produce, in the course of three 

 or four years, some twenty cuhs, all of which, with two 

 exceptions (and even these differing in size and conforma- 

 tion of body from the common-fox), were either black or 

 crucigerous ? So large a proportion must surely tell against 

 Nilsson's present theory (partly founded, it would seem, on 

 the experiments in question) as to the black and the crossed- 

 fox being mere accidental varieties of the common-fox. And 

 again why is it that in England, where the common-fox 

 abounds, we never hear of his colour and form varying in 

 any material degree ? 



Taking the facts together, therefore, it seems to me far 

 from improbable that either in the shape of a black, or 

 possibly a crossed-fox, a species separate from the red, or 

 common-fox, really does exist in Scandinavia. 



The reader will excuse some little prolixity on this 

 subject, because it is one that cannot but interest the natu- 

 ralist, and I should think the sportsman also ; for if it 

 really turn out that the crossed-fox is a separate species, 

 it might be expedient to introduce him into England; as 

 from the superior size and courage attributed to him, he 

 might be fairly expected to improve the breed of our foxes, 

 and consequently to enhance the pleasures of our great 

 national pastime, fox-hunting. 



But whether the black-fox, or the crossed-fox, be merely 

 accidental varieties of the common-fox, or that they consti- 

 tute separate species, the habits of all three are in the main 

 alike ; and the few observations I am about to make apply 

 with equal force, as well to the one as to the other. 



A cross between the dog and the fox is not uncommon 

 in Sweden. " In the year 1 8 1 6," M. Bedoire tells us for 



