366 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



duce nothing but regret for the labour which has been ex- 

 pended on them. In fact, the knowledge of the native name 

 is essentially necessary to enable us to know of what ani- 

 mal any traveller speaks, and of which, in all probability, 

 he cites but a few characteristics, very insufficient for the 

 purposes of a clear distinction. On this point the ancients 

 appear to have been much more careful than the moderns. 

 The generality of the latter can bear no comparison in this 

 respect with Marcereau, Hernandez, Pison, fyc. Such, 

 however, as the Baren Humboldt, Dr. Horsfield, our re« 

 spected friend, Major Hamilton Smith, Peron, D'Azzara, 

 and a few more, are honourable exceptions to this remark, 

 and stand at an immeasurable distance above the generality 

 of our modern travellers. 



Such reflections as these are sure to suggest themselves 

 to the mind, when we come to consider the Foxes of North 

 America. There are few animals of which travellers have 

 spoken more, but there are few whose history has been 

 treated of with less detail, and with less attention to any 

 thing like method. It is difficult to know what use to 

 make of the numerous notes upon the Foxes, which we 

 find scattered over the works of Hearne, Mackenzie, Bar- 

 tram, &c. 



Without doubt they had seen, as many others had seen 

 before them, this species, the tri-coloured Fox. But not- 

 withstanding, until very lately, the animal has been known 

 only from the account of Schreber, who has given a very 

 imperfect figure, drawn in all appearance from a stuffed 

 specimen, and a bare description of colours. 



M. F. Cuvier describes an individual sent from New 

 York to the French menagerie. It was so very young that 

 its second dentition had not yet commenced. It died 

 during the development of its second canines, which gene- 

 rally forms a crisis very painful and dangerous to wild ani- 

 mals in a state of captivity. Without evincing malignity, 



