210 MOSTLY MAMMALS 



the same coat. In contrast with this, the case in which 

 are placed the above-mentioned animals in their dark 

 summer costume contains a specimen of the white phase 

 of the Arctic fox in its dark summer coat. In this speci- 

 men, the hair (which is much shorter than that of the 

 example in the winter dress) is dirty rufous brown shading 

 into grey on the upper-parts and outer side of the limbs, 

 and yellowish white below. In other examples the colour 

 of the upper-parts is greyer, while the under-parts are 

 nearly pure white. Sometimes also, it is stated that grey 

 hairs are largely mingled with the white winter coat, so 

 that we have a more or less marked tendency towards the 

 blue phase even in the winter dress. In all cases the 

 muzzle remains black, and it is stated that there may 

 occasionally be a black tail-tip in the white winter dress. 

 I have not seen a " blue fox " in the summer dress, 

 but am told that the coat is then chiefly distinguished 

 from its winter condition by its much shorter hairs and 

 less pure blue colour. 



Of course, the so-called " blue " of even the best skins 

 is a slaty or French grey rather than a blue in the proper 

 sense of the word, and in many instances it tends to drab 

 or dark purplish. Alaskan blue fox, which is somewhat 

 coarse in the texture of the fur, has this purplish or sooty 

 tinge most strongly developed, and at one time was 

 specially valued on this account, although of late years 

 the lighter varieties seem to have been chiefly in demand. 



Lest any of my readers should be led to think that the 

 Arctic fox is a near relative of the common species, it 

 may be well to state, before going any farther, that it is 

 a very distinct animal indeed. Apart from its coloration, 

 the most distinctive features of the species are to be 

 found in its short, rounded ears (which look almost as 



