MAMMALIA. 85 
DIMENSIONS 
Of a full-grown specimen. 
Feet. ‘Inches. Feet. Inches. 
Length of the head and body 2 1 Distance from the wrist to the end of the 
5, tail (vertebrz) 1 0 middle fore-claw A . . 0 3h 
,, tail with the fur . I 2 » from the tip of the nose to the 
Snead! 0 53 anterior angle of the eye 6 0 2k 
Height of ears anteriorly . 0 2 aa between the anterior angles of the 
oS ears posteriorly . 0 13 eyes : F F . 0 12 
Breadth of the ears near their base . 0 2 35 between the ears ; . 0 Qt 
Distance from the heel to the tip of the mid- 
dle hind-claw 0 bE 
Captain Lyon, during two winters passed on the Melville peninsula, studied with 
attention the manners of several of these animals, which were taken and kept as 
pets ; and his account contains so many interesting facts respecting their natural 
history, which are recorded nowhere else, that I shall make no apology for 
copying it into this work. ‘‘ In form, the Arctic Fox bears a great resemblance 
to our European species, although considerably smaller ; and, owing to the great 
quantity of white woolly hair with which it is clothed, is somewhat like a little 
shock dog. ‘The brush is full and large, affording an admirable covering for the 
nose and feet, to which it acts as a muff when the animal sleeps. Although the 
head is not so pointed as in our English Reynard, yet it has completely the air of 
cunning which is so observable in all species of foxes. The eyes are bright, 
piercing, and of a clear hazel. ‘The face of the female was always remarked to be 
shorter than that of the male, and it has less of cunning and more of mildness in 
its general expression. The ears are short, and thickly covered with hair, having 
the appearance of being doubled at the edges, or rather of having been cropped. 
The cheeks are ornamented by a projecting ruff, which extends from behind the 
ears quite round the lower part of the face, to which it gives a very pleasing 
appearance. 
“« The legs are rather long than otherwise, and shew great strength of muscle. 
The feet, which are large, are armed with strong claws. When the animal is 
standing still, the hind-legs are so placed as to give the idea of weakness in the 
loins, which is certainly not the case, as few creatures can make more powerful 
leaps. The general weight was about eight pounds, although some were as low 
as seven, and a few as high as nine pounds and a half when in good case. 
“The Arctic Fox is an extremely cleanly animal, being very careful not to 
dirt those places in which he eats or sleeps. No unpleasant smell is to be per- 
ceived, even in a male, which is a remarkable circumstance. ‘To come unawares 
on one of these creatures is, in my opinion, impossible ; for even when in an 
