FUR-FARMING IN CANADA 17 



Investigation of the debated question of the colour phases of 



Colour ... . . 



Phases foxes has produced definite information regarding its occur- 

 rence. The fact that the cross, silver, black and red colours 

 are all colour phases of the common red fox is of too common knowledge 

 to warrant the citing of the many cases examined for evidence. Tl.e 

 colours all exist and why they exist may be left to the discussion of 

 biologists", some of whom say that ages ago foxes were originally dark 

 coloured and that the silver is atavistic. It will be more useful in this 

 discussion to describe how the darker colour is produced from red 

 parents. 



A summary of the facts may be given as follows: 



1. Silver parents always produce silver pups — never red or 

 cross pups. (See possible exception below.) 



2. Red parents mostly produce red, but, occasionally, some 

 cross pups and even a small proportion of silver pups is produced. 



3. Usually cross (patched) parents produce cross pups. 



4. When a silver and a pure red are bred, they produce red 

 pups with blacker markings on the belly, neck and points than 

 the red parent. The pups are about of the colour known as 

 * bastard.' 



5. When a bastard red fox and a silver are mated the litter 

 is on the average 50 per cent silver and 50 per cent red. 



6. Bastard red parents often produce a black or silver pup 

 in a litter — the proportion of silver being about one out of four. 



7. The exceptions to the above rules are that sometimes the 

 colours do not segregate, but rather blend, as in roan cattle when 

 red and white hairs are intermixed and not separated into distinct 

 patches. Cross foxes are produced by mating a red and a silver 

 and, sometimes, an intermediate colour is secured in the pups. 

 Thus, in some districts, every combination of the red, white and 



black colours of foxes is found. There are foxes which are : 



Red. — Red above and white below, with dark points. 

 Bastard. — Red above and dark below and on the neck, with 



darker points. 

 Poor Cross. — Mostly red and dark as above with a silver 

 Cross I patch down the back and over the shoulders and 



or J hips. 



Patch ] Good Cross. — Red on the sides, neck and ears, dark below 



and silvery over the back, shoulders and rump. 



Red 



