THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE FOX 



a contribution to the history of an animal which is 

 interesting alike to naturalists, historians, and literary 

 folk. The story of the fox touches that of mankind 

 at innumerable points. 



The common fox has, we have seen, a wide 

 geographical distribution, and thrives in many 

 countries, under various skies, and among widely 

 different surroundings. But he is very much the 

 same in internal and external conformation, and in 

 the shape of his skull and his teeth, wherever he is 

 found. These last two distinguishing points, indeed, 

 are so much alike that it is difficult to distinguish 

 species among foxes. Seven are acknowledged besides 

 the common fox. The majority of foxes are varieties 

 of our English fox, and will be touched on in these 

 pages very lightly, our main concern being with 

 Cam's Vulpes, the little red rover of sportsmen, the 

 Reynard of fabulists, poets, and mythologists. Wher- 

 ever we travel we meet him. He may vary much, 

 but the Himalayan fox, the red and cross foxes of 

 America, the silver fox of the North, the khaki- 

 coloured fox of the Nile, the slate-coloured fox of 

 Thibet, are all specifically identical. In the same 

 way there is but one fox in England, the 'greyhound,' 

 ' mountain,' and ' cur ' foxes being quite imaginary 

 distinctions. 



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