MAMMALIA. 349 



bushy. The paws are large and heavy, the soles densely 

 haired, and furnished with six small, naked pads. They 

 feed upon small animals, and the young, generally from 

 two to four, appear in May. They are to some extent ar- 

 boreal in their habits. The grison (Galictis) of northern 

 and central South America is a fierce member of the group. 



VALUE. Fur and hide of all are valuable. 



FIG. 371. A group of valuable fur-bearers, i, Arctic fox ; 2, -silver fox ; 3, 

 sable ; 4, otter ; 5, mink ; 6, ermine. 



Dog" (Canidcz). This family comprises the dogs, 

 wolves, and foxes, and has a wide geographical range. 

 Nearly all possess the mechanism for retraction of the 

 claws, but the action is not sufficient to protect them from 

 wear; thus they are modified for purposes of digging. The 

 American red fox ( Vulpes) has a slender, pointed muzzle, 

 and is of a reddish-yellow hue. It preys upon domestic 

 fowls and small game of all kinds. The young are reared 

 in burrows in the ground. The Arctic fox (Fig. 371) is 

 white in the winter and brown in summer. They live in 



