326 THE ANIMALS OF ARCTIC AMERICA AND CANADA 



harrimani) of Alaska, but the common form is known as C. v. fulvus, or the red 

 fox. The black or silver fox is, however, only a melanistic phase of the last, which 

 occurs in the north, and especially in the upper basin of the Mississippi, and north- 

 west of the Missouri. This beautiful animal, so much valued on account of its fur, 

 which, with the exception of the white tip of the tail, is nearly or entirely black, 

 derives its name from the grey rings on the black hair of the head, hinder-parts, 

 and thighs, which give it a silvery appearance. 



Quite distinct is the kit fox (C. velox), which varies much in colour and is 

 of small size, the body measuring only 24 inches. It is characterised by short, 

 stout legs, and a short bushy tail, which, without the hair, measures about 9 inches, 

 by its comparatively small thickly-haired ears, and the great length and abundance 

 of the under-fur which is often visible externally, as well as by the long hair on 

 the soles of the feet. Typically from Nebraska, this species originally extended 

 from that state and Colorado northwards to the plains of the Saskatchewan and 

 Assiniboia, but it is now chiefly restricted to western Canada in the area under 

 consideration. 



The American marten, or sable (Mustela americana), so closely 

 Martens. . v J f 



resembles the European pine-marten and the Asiatic sable, that it is 



doubtful if all these are anything more than local varieties of one and the same 



specific type. In colour the American form is generally brown, with a yellow 



patch on the breast, and a whitish or greyish head and ears. This marten ranges 



from Labrador to Alaska, and is met with as far south as the Adirondack Mountains. 



A second species of marten, commonly known as the pekan (M. pennanti), is 



characterised by its large size, and stout build, attaining in some cases a length of 



30 inches. It is distributed over the greater portion of the continent west of the 



Mississippi from Texas to the Great Slave Lake and Alaska. 



The Canadian otter (Lutra canadensis), of which several local 



forms are recognised, is distributed all over North America, extending 



nearly to the Arctic Ocean. It is distinguished from the European species by the 



much larger extent of the naked patch on the tip of the muzzle, which is not 



confined to the space between the nostrils entirely. As a rule, the colour is 



purplish above, and paler on the under-parts ; specimens have been recorded 



measuring 4 feet and over in length. In habits this otter resembles the 



European species ; and like the latter at times amuses itself by sliding down steep, 



smooth banks covered with mud or snow. It seems to be as partial to crayfish as 



to fish, and in the Adirondacks the number of those crustaceans killed by otters is 



considerable. Large numbers of otters are killed for the sake of their fur, which is 



one of the most valuable in North America, but on account of their acute sense of 



smell and sight the traps, which are of steel, are never baited. 



Several forms of brown and greyish bears are met with in 

 Bears. . te J 



North America, ranging from Alaska southwards to Mexico, several 

 of which may be regarded as local races of the brown bear (Ursus arctus) of 

 Europe, although some forms depai-t more widely from the latter than is the case 

 with others. The largest races are the Kadiak Island and the South Alaskan 

 brown bears (U. a. middendorfji, and U. a. dalli), which approximate very 

 closely to the great brown bear of Kamchatka. The Rocky Mountain grisly bear 



