120 



REPORT OF ALASKA INVESTIGATIONS. 



essential, a supply of good running water, was available from one of the watersheds of Chilkat Lake. A 

 fox delights in scratching and digging, and if the dirt is not soft and pliable but is filled with rocks and 

 stones his feet become sore, which sooner or later will result in his death. 



The corrals were built with rare judgment — large, each one containing a comfortable house of two 

 stories, the lower part compact and tight, and the upper part open at both ends, where the foxes might 

 lie in good weather and sleep with plenty of air and sun. The yards contain plenty of green grass, which 

 is essential to their welfare, and furthermore the running water that I referred to passes through the wire 

 of each separate corral. The foxes digging around the sides of the pens create a natural basin for the 

 water, in which they like to bathe. When necessary the supply of water can be diverted. 



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30- 



1 



FOX COegAL 



J/ream ofwa/er /rom moun/ain 

 en/erj corra/ 'a/ '^7 "ana 1 ' c/'rcu/a/ss 

 ///rough each pen, /fc^xwy /ences. 

 Ou/s/c/e zence '3 "is a/7 add/'/iona/ 

 precaution a pains/ escape o/ 'fares 

 ana 1 a/so preren/s /Aem from Ae/ha 

 /Tightened 



P/ar? of Corra/ 



P/a/? 



T7TT 



S/ee/iinp Mouse 



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Sec //on of fence 



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Sec/ion 



Plan of fox-rearing corral. 



There are in these corrals black foxes, cross foxes, and some reds. One of the things that impressed 

 me as much as anything I saw in connection with this ideal outfit was the fact that these foxes were 

 nearly all so tame that they would come up and take grass out of one's hand. This was another indication 

 of the way in which these men understand their business, for at other places I had seen the foxes were 

 so wild that they nearly killed themselves in endeavoring to hide from those who were trying to look after 

 them, something that certainly is detrimental to the success of a fox farm. 



During the summer these foxes are fed once a day on smoked salmon or other fish. Bear meat is also 

 occasionally used, but no salt food. In winter time frozen fish is fed to them, and in so doing great care 



