FOXES AND FOX-F ARMING 215 



and heavily or lightly overlain with grayish- 

 white. Silver foxes vary from those in which 

 the color is entirely grizzled to those in which 

 it is entirely black, except a few white-tipped 

 hairs on the back and rump. Finally, in the 

 black phase, the white is absent from all parts 

 except the tip of the tail. 



The red phase is much more abundant than 

 the others, but the three interbreed freely, and 

 wherever one occurs occasional examples of the 

 others also may be expected. In general, the 

 cross fox is fairly common, the silver-gray is 

 comparatively scarce, and the pure black is 

 excessively rare. The prices usually paid for 

 skins of the different phases vary according to 

 the relative scarcity of the animals. Thus red 

 skins command only a moderate price ($1.50 to 

 $3.50), cross foxes are somewhat higher ($4 to 

 $8), silver foxes are several times higher ($50 

 to $250), and pure black skins are exceedingly 

 valuable, being higher priced than any other 

 fur except sea-otter $1,000 to $2,000. 



Area suited for fox-farming. The natural 

 habitat of this fox includes the greater part of 

 North America, from the central United States 



