MAMMALS OF UTAH 125 



white and brownish yellow, mixed with a little dark brown 

 or black. The under fur in these regions is hght plumbeous 

 at base, and light brownish chocolate yellow at tip, these 

 tints becoming paler towards the sides. The long stiffer 

 hairs are dark brown (more reddish at the extreme tip) and 

 broadly annulated near the tip with yellowish gray white; 

 there is, however, an occasional hair that is entirely black. 

 The under fur on the top of the head has more reddish on 

 the terminal portion. The under parts generally, for their 

 entire width, as well as the inside of the limbs, are yellow- 

 ish white. On the sides of the neck and body, extending 

 some distance up behind the shoulders, the hairs are of a 

 pale reddish yellow, without annulation, this color also 

 tinging strongly the forearm and posterior face of the hind 

 leg; the rest of the legs, except as described, is of a pale 

 brownish white. There is a dusky tinge around the lips, 

 and a patch of the same between the eye and the nose, above 

 the insertion of the whiskers, which are themselves black. 

 The ears are uniform brownish yellow on their convexity; 

 anteriorly yellowish white. The tail, in general tint, resem- 

 bles the back, except that there is no distnict annulation 

 the prevailing hue being a yellowish gray. There is a con- 

 siderable amount of black on the tips of the hairs, but this 

 is much less conspicuous than in the red and gray foxes. 

 There is most black at the truncate tip. The under surface 

 of the tail is tinged with yellowish red. Length from nose 

 to tail 24 inches; from tail to end of vertebrae 9 inches; 

 height of ear above notch 1% inches. (Baird.) In summer 

 specimens the fur is shorter on all parts of the body and 

 the feet are thinly haired. 



Distribution — Several years ago a kit fox was killed 

 at the New State Gun Club in Davis county a few miles 

 north of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Mr. F. A. Wrathall, who 

 dressed the skin, informs me that he receives the kit fox 

 continually from nearly all parts of northern Utah. He 

 has a fine skin, taken at Wendover, in the western part 

 of the state. This fox is not at all uncommon so far as 

 foxes go in this state. Gerald Thorne tells me that this 

 fox is frequently trapped in the Uinta basin; and he has 

 one in his possession which was taken at Jensen, Utah, in 

 1908. 



Habits— The swift fox is the smallest and daintiest 

 of all our foxes. Owing to the readiness with which it eats 

 poisoned meat that has been put out for wolves, it has 

 already become very scarce. In spite of its name, it does 

 not run with remarkable swiftness. (Hornaday.) 



