184 THE TRAPPER 



over twelve years — from 1848 to 1860 — stated 

 that ^ were silver or black, and of the remainder 

 i^ cross, and -^ red. 1 Since then the black and 

 silver foxes have become more rare. 



All foxes in the north of Canada, excepting the 

 Arctic or White Fox, are of the same species, 

 though separated in trade, on account of the 

 varieties of colour, into four classes : Black, 

 Silver, Cross, and Red. There are grades of 

 shade between the pure Black Fox and the pure 

 Red, but the above are well-defined limits to 

 work on. Only in two places is the colour 

 unchanging, for the tip of the brush and a 

 small mark on the forebreast remain always 

 white. 



Regarding the actual production of the different 

 varieties : the offspring of two Silver Foxes might 

 be silver ; on the other hand, such mating might 

 throw back to Cross or Red ancestors. But 

 in any event foxes, in their wild state, do not 

 cohabit strictly in pairs. At the season of pro- 

 pagation a number of males accompany a female 

 much in the manner of dogs, and fight violently 

 for possession of her ; and as those males may 

 vary in colour, so may they give rise to the 

 varieties which may be found in a single litter. 



The perfect Black Fox is glossy jet-black 

 throughout, excepting the small white mark on 

 the forebreast and tail-tip, while there may be a 

 very few silver hairs on the back over the rump. 



The Silver Fox is similar to the Black Fox, 

 but may have a greater or lesser area interposed 



1 Through the Mackenzie Basin, notes on mammals by Roderick 

 MacFarlane. 



