164 GRAY FOX. 



Throughout the whole of our Atlantic States, from Maine to Florida, 

 and westwardly to Louisiana and Texas, there are but two species of 

 fox known, viz., the red fox, (F. fulvus,) and the present species, (F. Vir- 

 ginianus,) although there are several permanent varieties. The former 

 may be regarded as a Northern, the latter as a Southern species. Whilst 

 the Northern farmer looks upon the red fox as a great annoyance, and 

 detests him as a robber, w^ho is lying in wait for his lambs, his turkeys, 

 and his geese, the Gray Fox, in the eyes of the Southern planter, is the 

 object of equal aversion. To ourselves, however, who have witnessed 

 the predatory dispositions of each, in different portions of our country, it 

 appears that the red fox is far more to be dreaded than the gray ; the 

 latter is a pilfering thief, the former a more daring and cunning plun- 

 derer. When they have whelps, the females of both species, urged by the 

 powerful pleadings of their young, become more bold and destructive 

 than at any other time ; the red fox produces its young very early in the 

 season, sometimes indeed Avhilst the snow is still remaining here and 

 there in large banks unthawed on the ground, and becomes more daring 

 in consequence of being stinted for food ; whilst the present specieS; 

 having its young later when breeding in the Northern States, and finding 

 a more abundant supply of food when inhabiting the Middle or Southern 

 States, is less urged by necessity to depredate on the poultry of the planter. 



We have never, indeed, heard any well authenticated account of this 

 species having entered the poultry-yard of the farmer ; it is true, it will 

 seize on a goose, or a turkey hen, that happens to stray into the woods 

 or fields and make its nest at some distance from the house ; but we have 

 not heard of its having attempted to kill pigs, or like the red fox, visited 

 the sheep pasture in spring, and laid a contribution, from day to daj', on 

 the young lambs of the flock. 



The Gray Fox is shy and cowardlj% and the snap of a stick or the 

 barking of a dog will set him off on a full run. Although timid and 

 suspicious to this degree, his cunning and voracity place him in a con- 

 spicuous rank among the animals that prey upon other species weaker 

 than themselves. The wild turkey hen often makes an excavation in 

 which she deposits her eggs, at a considerable distance from the low 

 grounds, or makes her nest on some elevated ridge, or under a pile of 

 fallen logs covered over with scrub oaks, ferns, tall weeds and grasses ; 

 we have often seen traces of a violent struggle at such places ; bunches 

 of feathers scattered about, and broken egg-shells giving sufficient evi- 

 dence that the Fox has been there, and that there will be one brood 



