54 AMERICAN CROSS FOX. 



GENERAL REMARKS. 



The animal referred to by Sagard Theodat, in his History of Canada, 

 under the name of Reuard Barre, Tsinantontongue, was evidently this va- 

 riety. Pennant probably also referred to it, (vol. i., p. 46,) although he 

 blended it with the European T'. Crucigera of Gesner, and the Korsi-aef 

 of the >Swedes. Geoff (Collect, du Mus.) described and named it as a 

 true species. Desmarest (Mamm., p. 203, 308) and Cuvier (Diet, des So. 

 ]Vat., vol. viii., p. 566) adopted his views. It is given under this name 

 by Sabine (Franklin's Jouru., p. 656.) Harlan (Fauna, p. 88) published it 

 as a distinct species, on the authority and in the words of Desmarest. 

 GoDMAN, who gave the Black or Silver Fox {A. argentatiis) as a true spe- 

 cies, seemed doubtful whether the Cross Fox might not prove a " mule 

 between the Black and Red Fox." Richardson, under the name of the 

 American Cross Fox fuially described it as a mere variety of the Red 

 Fox. 



We possess a hunter's skin, which we obtained whilst on the Upper 

 Missouri, that differs greatly from the one we have described, in its 

 size, markings, and the texture of its fur. The bod}-, from point of nose 

 to root of tail, is 33 inches long ; tail to end of fur 18i ; the skin is pro- 

 bably stretched beyond the natural size of the animal ; but the tail, which 

 is very large in circumference, is, we think, of its proper dimensions. 

 The hair is long, being on the neck, sides, and tail, five inches in length ; 

 the under fur, which is peculiarly soft, is three inches long. There is 

 scarcely a vestige of the yellowish-brown of our other specimen, on the 

 whole body ; but the corresponding parts are gray. The tail is irregu- 

 larly clouded, and banded, the tip for three inches white. The colour of 

 the remaining portions of the body does not differ very widely from the 

 specimen we have described. The ears, nose, and paws of this specimen 

 (as in most hunters' skins) are wanting. It is not impossible that this 

 may be a variety of a larger species of Red Fox, referred to by Lewis and 

 Clarke, as existing on both sides of the Rocky Mountains. 



