FOXES AND FOX-FARMING = 211 
local varieties as might easily arise in different 
climates and from local peculiarities of -food 
throughout the whole northern world. It is 
convenient to name them as species, but it is 
practically the same “eae the Fox’’ right 
around the globe. 
‘‘Our American form,’’ to quote again from my 
Life ‘of...Mammals heretofore mentioned, ‘‘seems 
especially variable since its typical yellowish red, 
darkest on the back and shoulders, may be very bright 
or very pale; or may have the markings on the spine 
and withers very dark and distinct, making it a 
‘eross fox,’ or be totally black with a white-tipped 
tail; or black, with the tips of most of the hairs white, 
giving the fur a frosted or ‘silver’ appearance. 
‘Boxes everywhere are naturally burrowers and 
nocturnal hunters of ground-nesting birds from ducks 
and geese to sparrows, and of their eggs; rodents of 
every sort, frogs, lizards, insects, and in summer and 
autumn fruit and berries. Some of the prey is got 
by running it down, for the fox is fleet; some by 
digging it out of its underground holes; some by 
stalking it with crafty caution; some by lying appar- 
ently dead until the victim approaches near enough 
to be seized by a catlike pounce. These are the es- 
sential tactics of its food getting in all lands, the fare 
and jhe method varying with the country; and end- 
less ‘stratagems match the native precautions of the 
small quarry. All the larger cats and wolves are its 
