112 



Order CARNIVORA 



Life History. — The red fox is so versatile and so adaptable 

 in its food habits that it has not only been able to survive but 

 to increase successfully in the face of constant fur and bounty 

 hunting and a changing environment brought about by man. 



This fox occupies various kinds of habitat, but it seems most 

 at home in strongly rolling country where land use has resulted 

 in an irregular arrangement of fields, meadows, and semiopen 



Fig. 69. — Young of red fox near entrance to den. 



woodlands, fig. 2. The range of an established, unharassed indi- 

 vidual, pair, or family is not extensive, probably having a radiiiN 

 of about a mile. 



In late December and early January, a careful observer will 

 begin to see the double trails made by paired foxes running to- 

 gether, indicating that the mating season is under way. As the 

 winter wears on, the foxes take an increasing interest in dens and 

 by late February each pair probably will have cleaned out sev- 

 eral in preparation for the birth of pups. Usually woodchuck 

 and badger dens are appropriated for this purpose. The male 

 fox may begin to leave food at the den even before the pups are 

 born. The young generally arrive in March; the litter usually 

 consists of four to nine. 



The pups first appear outside of the den when they are about 

 3 weeks old. If the family is undisturbed, the pups will re- 

 main for about a month at the den in which thev were born. 



