250 THE RED FOX. 



Arctic species mention is made in the preceding 

 pages, believing that it is the same species in both 

 continents, though separated by slight distinctions. 

 The first that appears to be really distinct is 

 The Red Fox (Vulpes fulvous.) — The Virginian 

 Fox of Palisot de Beauvoir. This species was for- 

 merly confounded with the common fox of Europe, 

 but is now determined to be distinct. It measures 

 two feet three and a half inches in length, and the 

 tail one foot four inches. The upper surface of the 

 body is red-fulvous, with various shades ; the muz- 

 zle dark rufous ; forehead and cheeks pale ; edge of 

 the lips white ; inside of the ears yellowish white, 

 the outside black; back and sides of the neck, 

 shoulders, and fore legs, bright rufous; on the 

 back are some waves of whitish, because the longer 

 hair is fulvous at the base and at the point, with a 

 white space in the middle ; the chest is grey, and 

 the inside of the thighs white ; anterior line of the 

 fore legs deep black, do^vn to the toes, which are 

 fulvous ; the hind legs rufous above, and whitish 

 on the inside, as low as the feet ; the tail is mixed 

 fulvous and black, with a white tip. 



In the skull of this species there is a marked 

 diflference from that of other foxes, the latter having 

 the lateral crests, serving to attach the chrotaphite 

 muscles, in the shape of an angle, but slightly 

 prolonged before they unite on the frontal suture, 

 while, in the former, these crests run parallel, at 

 more than an inch distance, and unite only at the 

 occipital crest. 



