CHAPTER XIII 

 FOXES AND FOX-FARMING 



WE have in North America several different 

 sorts of foxes. The red fox is the most wide- 

 spread and important of these. A large form 

 of it dwells in southern Alaska, and another 

 variety, or species, is peculiar to Newfound- 

 land. Then, in the West, are two small foxes, 

 the kit or swift fox of the central plains, and 

 the big-eared swift of southern California and 

 Arizona. 



The kit-foxes of the west. These last are 

 handsome grizzled-gray and yellowish little 

 animals, with keen, interesting faces, tall, alert 

 ears, and the ability to run like a streak. Each 

 has a full measure of the cunning of its harried 

 race, and makes a good living during all the 

 warmer half of the year at the expense of mice, 

 spermophiles and gophers, but in winter, when 

 most of these are safe under ground, it must 

 have a harder time, and resort to various foxy 



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