Mn Cet Cw Oe 
buttons of the fkins: and fplit the tendons, and make ufe of them in- 
ftead of thread. The blue furs are much more efteemed than the 
white. 
European Fox, Hit. Quad. N® 139.—Smellie, iv. 214.—Lev. Mus. ) 
OG. With a-pointed nofe: pointed ereét ears: body of a: 
tawny red, mixed with afh-color: fore part of the legs black : 
tail long and bufhy, tipt with white. 
Inhabits the northern parts of North America from Hudfon’s Bay, . 
probably acrofs the continent to the iflands intermediate between Ame- 
vica and Kamt/chatka, Captain Bering faw there five quite tame, 
being unufed to the fight of man. 
his fpecies gradually decreafes to the fouthward, in numbers and 
in fize: none are found lower than Penfylvania. They are fuppofed 
not to have been originally natives of that country. The Judians 
believe they came from the north of Europe in an exceffive hard 
winter, when the feafon was frozen. The truth feems to be, that 
they were driven in fome fevere feafon from the north of their own 
country, and have continued there ever fince. They abound about 
Hudfon’s Bay, the Labrador country, and in Newfoundland and ‘Ca- 
nada; and are found in Iceland*. They burrowas the European foxes 
do; and in Hud/on’s Bay, during winter, run about the. woods in 
fearch of prey, feeding on birds and leffer animals, particularly 
mice. . 
New England is faid to have been early ftocked with foxes by a 
gentleman who imported them from Eng/aud, for the pleafure of the 
chafe + ; and that the prefent breed fprung from the occafion. This 
fpecies is reckoned among the pernicious animals, and, being very 
deftructive to lambs, are profcribed at the rate of two fhillings a 
head. . 
The variety of Brizti/h fox, with a black tip to the tail, feems un- 
known in America. 
* Olefin; i. 31. + Kalu, i, 283, 
2. The: 
45 
11. EUROPEAN? - 
