100 



The Living Animals of the World 



FlujiM 1,11 .SclioUutic rii.Au. Ok] [Parson's Lrtui. 



ARCTIC FOX. 



In summer. Cliiiniiing ]i is emit. In winter. 



Tie Arctic Fnx is one i.f the tew nniiiMls showing aiffercnt pliiiscs of colonr, some being Line at all seasons, wliile otliois are white in winter 



and inottied hrownish in summer. 



shot when carrying away a lamb from a slieepfold near the clitfs of Sidmouth, in Devon. 

 The shepherd thought it was a marauding dog, and hay in wait with a gun. 



Africa has a group of small foxes of its own. 

 Some of them 



The Arctic Fox. 



The Arctic Fox is somew-hat different in hahits from others. It is also much smaller 

 than the red foxes. Its fur is almost as soft as eiderdown, and so tliick that the cold does 

 not penetrate. In winter the whole coat changes colour, not gradually, but in patches. At 

 the same time a dense growth of under-fur comes ujj on the body. In summer this is shed - 

 in piatches, almost like loose felt. The foxes live in colonies, but are so hard put to it for 

 food in the winter that they desert their homes to gather round whaling-ships or encampments. 

 There they steal everything edible, from snowshoe-thongs to seal-flesh. Blue foxes are bred 

 and kept for the sake of their fur on some of the islands in Bering Sea. They are fed on the 

 flesh of the seals killed on the neighbouring islands, and are, like them, killed when their 

 coat is in condition. 



The Fenkecs. 



They have very large ears and dark eyes, 

 remind us of the 

 large-eyed lemuroids. 

 than 9 or 10 inches 

 whitish-khaki coloiu", 

 dark and brilliant. 

 Fennec is found 

 Africa. Its favourite 

 any sweet fruit, 

 of eggs, and will 

 It is 2)rolial)ly the 

 story of the fox 

 The large-eared 

 sometimes called 

 _____^__^_^^_^__^__^_____^ found from the 

 notobyA.s.Rudia,uii-.'io„s. j^^^.^], j^g Ahyssiuia. 



long, and lives 

 and fruit. 



INIaholis and other 

 Several are not more 

 long ; they are a 

 but the eyes are very 

 The Common 

 over the wliole of 

 food is dates and 

 but it is also fond 

 eat mice and insects, 

 original hero of the 

 and the grapes, 

 fennec, which is 

 the Sil\'er P'ox, is 

 Cape to as far 

 It is 23 inches 

 mainly on insects 



I'ENNEC-rOX. 

 Bcniarkable for t]ie great size of the ears. An African species, 

 of liearing is probably very acute. 



Its sense 



