FOX HUNTING IN AMERICA. 249 



can hold a sober face in dealing with a proverbially slippery 

 and facetious customer. 



There are about twelve well known species belonging to 

 this genera, four of which are native to North America. 

 There are many disputes among Naturalists with regard to 

 the varieties of this animal. Instead of twelve, the number 

 of species has been extended to sixteen. Mr. Audubon, in 

 his new work, the Quadrupeds of America, has discovered 

 that many of those animals which have been named and set 

 down as distinct species, are only varieties. As for instance, 

 the Cross Fox, the Black or Silver Fox, and the Red Fox, 

 have each been classed as a separate species heretofore ; but 

 he has shown, I think, conclusively, that the two first are 

 mere varieties of the last. 



He found all three together in one litter. This fact in 

 itself, is very strong proof that he is right, for the Gray Fox 

 is never known to breed with either of these varieties ; and 

 the same is true of the Swift Fox and the Arctic Fox. This 

 is somewhat singular, for the Red Fox is well ascertained to 

 breed with the wolf and dog ; while a mortal antipathy is 

 thought to exist between it and the Gray Fox ; so great, 

 indeed, as to give rise to a common opinion, that the Gray 

 Fox is exterminated by the Red wherever it makes its appear- 

 ance. 



Furthermore, the celebrated Dr. Richardson adheres to 

 the same opinion, in common with the Indians, hunters and 

 trappers, who have a saying, with regard to the Red Fox, 

 " This is not a Cross Fox yet, but it is becoming so !" The 

 European Fox is subject to similar varieties, and the Cants 

 crucigera of Gessen, diflFers from it in the same way that our 

 Cross Fox does from the Red one. On the whole then, I 

 regard it as a safe conclusion, that the Red and Gray Foxes 

 are the only distinct species we have within the present limits 

 of the States. 



The slight variations of pelage, which have given rise to the 



