ARCTIC FOX 



Vulpes lag opus. 



A very interesting animal is this inhabitant of the far north, 

 who rarely is found south of the Canadian line, and who changes his 

 coloring with changes of season or of place. In the middle portion 

 of his range he is bluish brown in summer and pure white in win- 

 ter, while in the extreme north he keeps his snowy covering through- 

 out the year and when found farthest south is known as the "Blue 

 Fox" because of his unvarying coat of blue. These differences are 

 a remarkable illustration of the ways and means by which nature 

 contrives to protect and preserve creatures who, on account of cli- 

 matic or other adverse conditions, seem unusually prone to extinc- 

 tion. The Arctic fox is also provided with an underfur next his 

 skin as an additional protection against the coldest weather, shed- 



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