214 MOSTLY MAMMALS 



"Voyage to the Polar Sea," which may possibly throw 

 some light on the subject, although, unfortunately, it 

 does not tell us whether blue as well as white foxes 

 are found in that region. After referring to the numbers 

 of lemmings to be seen looking out from the mouths of 

 their holes, or feeding in the vicinity, the author proceeds 

 as follows : — 



" We noticed that numerous dead lemmings were scat- 

 tered around. In every case they had been killed in the 

 same manner — the sharp canine teeth of the foxes had 

 penetrated their brain. Presently we came upon two 

 ermines killed in the same manner. '. . . Then, to our 

 surprise, we discovered numerous deposits of dead lem- 

 mings ; in one hidden nook under a rock we pulled out 

 a heap of over fifty. We disturbed numerous 'caches' 

 of twenty and thirty, and the earth was honeycombed with 

 holes, each of which contained several bodies of these 

 little animals, a small quantity of earth being placed over 

 them. In one hole we found the greater part of a hare 

 hidden away. The wings of young brent-geese were also 

 lying about ; and as these birds were at this time just 

 hatching, it showed that they must be the results of suc- 

 cessful forays of prior seasons, and consequently that the 

 foxes occupy the same abodes from year to year. I had 

 long wondered how the Arctic fox exists in winter." 



Now, it will be evident that in this instance the foxes 

 killed the prey stored up for winter use while they were 

 in the dark summer coat. And since in winter, when the 

 birds have left and the lemmings have retired to the 

 depths of their burrows, they have no game to capture 

 and no enemies to fear save Polar bears (which would 

 not be likely to do them much harm), it would appear 

 to be a matter of no consequence whether their coats be 



