214 MOSTLY MAMMALS 
“Voyage to the Polar Sea,” which may possibly throw 
some light on the subject, although, unfortunately, it 
does not tell us whether blue as well as white foxes 
are found in that region. After referring to the numbers 
of lemmings to be seen looking out from the mouths of 
their holes, or feeding in the vicinity, the author proceeds 
as follows :— 
“We noticed that numerous dead lemmings were scat- 
tered around. In every case they had been killed in the 
same manner—the sharp canine teeth of the foxes had 
penetrated their brain. Presently we came upon two 
ermines killed in the same manner. ... Then, to our 
surprise, we discovered numerous deposits of dead lem- 
mings; in one hidden nook under a rock we pulled out 
a heap of over fifty. We disturbed numerous ‘caches’ 
of twenty and thirty, and the earth was honeycombed with 
holes, each of which contained several bodies of these 
little animals, a small quantity of earth being placed over 
them. In one hole we found the greater part of a hare 
hidden away. The wings of young brent-geese were also 
lying about; and as these birds were at this time just 
hatching, it showed that they must be the results of suc- 
cessful forays of prior seasons, and consequently that the 
foxes occupy the same abodes from year to year. I had 
long wondered how the Arctic fox exists in winter.” 
Now, it will be evident that in this instance the foxes 
killed the prey stored up for winter use while they were 
in the dark summer coat. And since in winter, when the 
birds have left and the lemmings have retired to the 
depths of their burrows, they have no game to capture 
and no enemies to fear save Polar bears (which would 
not be likely to do them much harm), it would appear 
to be a matter of no consequence whether their coats be 
