FUR-FARMING IN CANADA 21 



Y. regalis — Manitoba, Dakota, Montana, Alberta. 



V. macrourus — Wyoming, Nevada. 



V. abietorum — British Columbia, Alberta, North West Territories. 



V. alascensis — Alaska, Yukon. 



V. harrimani — Kadiak islands. 



V. kenaiensis — Kenai peninsula. 



V. cascadensis — Washington, Oregon, California. 



V. mecator — California. 



Investigation of the debated question of the colour phases 

 Phases °^ foxes has produced definite information regarding its 



occurrence. The fact that the cross, silver, black and 

 red colours are all colour phases of the common red fox is of too common 

 knowledge to warrant the citing of the many cases examined for evi- 

 dence. The colours all exist and why they exist may be left to the 

 discussion of biologists, some of whom say that ages ago foxes were 

 originally dark coloured and that the sUver is atavistic. It will be 

 more useful in this discussion to describe how the costlier, darker colour 

 is produced from cheaper, red parents. 



A summary of the facts may be given as follows : 



1. Silver parents always produce silver pups— never red or 

 cross pups. (See possible exception below.) 



2. Red parents mostly produce red, but, occasionally, some 

 cross or patch pups and even a small proportion of sUver pups is 

 produced. 



3. Usually cross or patch parents produce cross or patch pups. 



4. When a silver and a pure red are bred, they produce red 

 pups with blacker markings on the belly, neck and points than 

 the red parent. The pups are about of the colour known to furriers 

 as 'bastard'. 



5. When a bastard red fox and a silver are mated often the 

 litter is on the average 50 per cent silver and 50 per cent red. 



6. Bastard red parents often produce a black or silver pup 

 in a litter— the proportion of silver being about one out of four. 



7. The exceptions to the above rules are that sometimes 

 the colours do not segregate, but rather blend, as in roan cattle 

 when red and white hairs are intermixed and not separated into 

 distinct patches. Cross foxes are produced by mating a red and 

 a silver and, sometimes, an intermediate colour is secured in the 

 pups. Thus, in some districts, every combination of the red, white 

 and black colours of foxes is found. There are foxes which are: 



