192 THE NORTH AMERICAN BLACK FOX. 



In its most perfect dress it is entirely of a pure shining black, 

 except the end of the tail which is white. Generally, however, 

 its forehead, cheeks, and loins are grizzled, by an intermixture 

 of silver-tipped hairs, and there is often a white spot on the 

 breast. 



Dr. Richardson informs us that it is so extremely rare, that 

 more than four or five specimens are seldom taken in a season 

 at any one post in the fur countries, and, consequently, its 

 beautiful fur, especially when entirely black, fetches more than 

 six times the price of that of any other North American animal. 

 Mr. Lloyd says it is, in fact, the most valuable fur in the whole 

 world j and that in Russia, where it is only worn by the royal 

 family and other distinguished persons, a skin is said to be 

 worth nearly twenty pounds. 



THE ARCTIC Fox. (Cants lagopus, Linn.) 

 Blue Fox. Fjall I satis* 



This species inhabits the northern parts of Europe and of 

 America : even in the severe climate of Boothia, in seventy 

 degrees north latitude, and ninety-two degrees west longitude. 

 It is most abundant in Norway and Siberia. Hooker, in his 

 Tour in Iceland (p. 53), says that it is traditionally reported to 

 have been introduced into that country by one of the Norwegian 

 kings to punish the disaffection of the inhabitants. Its great 

 abundance may indeed be conceived from the fact, that in one 

 year the Hudson's Bay Company imported into Britain eight 

 thousand skins of this species. 



* Gmelin and other authors have confounded this animal with the Bengal 

 Isatis. (C. Bengalensis, Shaw.) 



