THE DOG AND FOX CROSS. 229 
established by a gentleman of Kent, who’ then possessed ‘a vulpo-canine bitch 
which had produce by a dog (vide Bel’s Life, Dec. 1853 and Feb. 1854). 
This bitch (half fox, half dog), now in my possession, liad produce in the month 
of February last by a terrier dog, The produce are two dog whelps and three 
bitches, some of which were (to ease the dam) suckled by a cur bitch. Two of 
the litter prove in nature shy as a fox; three of them dog-like in appearance, 
colour, and perfectly quiet, and follow well at heel. Still they have the real 
fox-muzzle and ‘fox-action,’ about which (to those who have well studied it in 
the hunting-field) there exists but little mistake. Many there are who doubt 
the existence of any such animal as that between fox and dog. I am, however, 
in perfect condition to prove (by the living articles themselves) that the fox 
is merely a separate species of the genus dog, and intercopulates with the bitch, 
producing not a hybrid or mule animal, but one which will propagate its species 
to the very end of the chapter.—Yours, &c. Rosert Tomiin. 
‘* PETERBOROUGH, June 1855.” 
The following letter, sent by Mr. Tomlm to the above paper in 
1857, refers to this particular bitch, which formed one of the litter 
therein mentioned :— 
Second Letter on the above subject, 
“Mr. Epiror,—In 1855 you were good enough to describe in Bell’s Life 
some history of a vulpo-canine bitch in my possession at Peterborough which 
had bred whelps, and as you are at this period of the year ‘for the fox, and 
nothing but the fox, perhaps you can spare a niche in your ‘fancy columns’ 
for a subject that may not be considered out of season. The vulpo-canine 
vixen is now, like all the fox genus, in full coat, and a beautiful-looking 
animal, higher on the leg than our common foxes, with more frame and size, 
and looks like going a slapping pace, and carries that unmistakable odour 
which accompanies ‘the beast of stinking flight’ She bred a litter of whelps 
in the spring of the years 1855 and 1856 (got by a ‘lion-tawny’ coloured terrier 
dog), and goes ‘ on heat’ only at one regular period. Her produce are endued 
more or less with the natural shyness and timidity of the vulpine species, and 
which it appears somewhat difficult to remove, The formation of their heads 
is faultless—long and punishing; in fact, the appearance of these animals re- 
sembles terrier dogs, with the perfect head and countenance, back, body, and 
feet of the fox. The vulpo-canine bitch is now suckling four whelps (got by 
a good white terrier dog), and as their colours are likewise good —white ‘ with 
black and pied ear-patches ’—it is likely to prove a better cross of its sort than 
the two former litter of whelps which the bitch reared, they being all of 
foxy, wild, dark-looking colours ; and as the terrier dog which got them was 
somewhat wicked and. crafty i in nature, I am now inclined to think that, ‘as 
like begets like,’ he was not altogether a suitable partner for the vulpo-canine 
bitch—an animal but one remove from the ‘ veritable fox itself,’ as wild, too, 
