2036 Thk Zoologist— March, 1870 



stranger to luc ; but instead of an angry growl or bark, the poor brute 

 would perhaps cry out and shift to another part of the room. A growl 

 or bark, even at a stranger, is usually punished with a most unmerciful 

 beating. This remark applies only to those dogs generally used in 

 gunning: those used for sleighing, when in harness, are frequently 

 most savage brutes, and sometimes attack both man and beast if not 

 prevented by a plentiful application from the long deer-thong of the 

 drivei'. 



Common American Fox, Vnlpes fulvus, Desm. ; Cross Fox, 

 rnr. (3. decussatus (" Geoffr^) Desm. ; Silver Fox, var. y. argentatus 

 {Shaw); Blitck Fox, var. ^. aler. — All the varieties of the common red 

 fox of America are proportionally common in Newfoundland. Since 

 the introduction of " seal-skins " to the fashionable world the prices for 

 the once absurdly valuable silver and black fox skins have been much 

 reduced. At the jiresent day the traders give (he following prices, in 

 Halifax, N.S. currency, for best skins: — a "yellow" (red) 15«. or 12s. 

 sterling; for a "patch" (cross) bOs. or 40.?. sterling ; for a "silver" 

 £10 or £8 sterling; for a "black" £15 to £20, or £12 to £1G 

 sterling. As all dealings with the settlers are transacted by barter 

 these prices can only be termed nominal. There can be no doubt but 

 that all these varieties belong to one species, as in one instance I knew 

 of a litter of cubs which consisted of two "blacks," a "silver," a 

 " patch " and a " yellow." With regard to the measin-ements of the 

 several varieties, my experience differs from that of Professor Baird, 

 in that I invariably found specimens of the "patch" or cross fox 

 materially smaller than cither " yellows" or " silvers." 1 allude here 

 to specimens mcasmed before skinning, but of course much depends 

 on the age of the animal. 



Arctic Fox, V.]a.gopns (Linn.) — Tolerably common throughout the 

 island, and is undoubtedly identical with the " blue" arctic fox, which 

 is none other than that species in summer pelage ; although in Iceland, 

 where the same species occurs, it is said never to assume the while winter 

 dress. This species differs considerably in habits from V. fulvus. 

 The latter is ever shy and watchful, and will rarely cross the fresh 

 "fooling" of a man, or dog, or go near a baited trap until driven to 

 do so by hunger, while the former invariably searches out and frequents 

 llie habitations of men, and is easily caught in almost any kind of trap, 

 but the handsome while skin, which is rather smaller than that of 

 V. fidvus, felches only one dollar ! 



