NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL PARK. 101 



THE FOX DENS, No. 23. 



Of the many species of foxes found in North America, 

 three species stand forth as the types of prominent groups, 

 and it is very desirable that all three should be well known. 



The Red Fox, (Vulpes fulvus), is the representative of the 

 group which contains also the cross fox and black fox of 

 the Northwest. In spite of dogs, traps, guns, spades and 

 poison, this cunning creature persists in living in close 

 touch with the poultry yards of civilized man. His perfect 

 familiarity with old-fashioned dangers enables him to 

 avoid them all, and no sooner does a new danger menace 

 him than he promptly invents a way to escape it. The 

 manner in which the Red Fox lives with civilization with- 

 out being exterminted really is surprising, and speaks 

 volumes for the astuteness of this animal. 



The geographical range of the Red Fox is very wide, 

 From North Carolina and Tennessee it extends northward 

 through the whole northeastern United States, gradually 

 bearing westward to Montana, and northward almost to 

 the Arctic Ocean. It is the commonest species in Alaska, 

 where it is found practically everywhere. 



The typical Red Fox and its two subspecies, the Cross Fox, 

 {Vulpes fulvus dccussatus), and the Black Fox, (V. f. argen- 

 tatus) — the latter many times miscalled the "Silver Fox" — 

 vary in all possible gradations of color from bright red to 

 pure black. Often it is difficult to decide where one type 

 leaves off and another begins. The Cross Fox stands mid- 

 way between the Red and Black, with some of the yellow 

 color of the former on the sides of the neck and behind 

 the foreleg, while the remainder of the general color is 

 grizzled gray-brown laid across his shoulders in a more or 

 less distinct cross. The Black Fox varies in color from 

 very dark iron-gray to dark brown or black, with a slight 

 wash of white-tipped hairs over the head, body and tail. 

 The tip of the tail is always white, which is the only con- 

 stant color mark about him. 



The Swift, or Kit Fox, (Vulpes velox), is the daintiest, 

 smallest and liveliest of all American foxes. From his 

 delicate little nose to the tip of his well-trimmed tail, he 

 is every inch a thoroughbred. His countenance is bright 

 and pert, and when several specimens are kept together 

 they are very playful. One striking feature of this little 

 animal is what may well be termed its trimness. When in 



