MAMMALIA. 93° 
in the day-time. In the winter time their tracts are most frequent on the borders 
of lakes, which they quarter much like a pointer dog. . They turn aside to almost 
every stump or twig sticking up through the snow, and void their urine on it like 
a dog. 
The Red Fox does not possess the wind of its English congener. It runs for 
about a hundred yards with great swiftness, but its strength is exhausted in the 
first burst, and it is soon overtaken by.a wolf or a mounted huntsman. Its flesh, 
is ill tasted, and is eaten only through necessity. 
CANIS FULVUS, var. 6. DECUSsATUS. American Cross Fox. 
Renard barré ou Tsinantontonque. SacaARD THEODAT, Canada, p. 745. 
European Fox, var. 8. Cross Fox. PENNANT, Arctic Zool., vol.i. p. 46. 
Canis decussatus. GEorFrRoY, Collect.du Mus. SaBin¥, Franklin's Journ., p. 656. Haruan, Fauna, p. 88. 
Cross Fox. Hupson Bay Company’s Lists. 
Beloduschki. Russrans. 
I am inclined to adhere to the opinion of the Indians in considering the Cross 
Fox of the fur traders to be a mere variety of the Red Fox, as I found on inquiry 
that the gradations of colour between characteristic specimens of the Cross and 
Red Fox are so small, that the hunters are often in doubt with respect to the 
proper denomination of a skin, and I was frequently told ‘‘ This is not a cross fox 
yet, but it is becoming so.” The Canis crucigera of Gesner, which is considered 
by Baron Cuvier to be a mere variety of the European Fox, differs from the latter 
animal in the same way that the American Cross Fox does from the red one, and 
there is also a crucigerous variety of the Isatis or Arctic Fox. Mr. Hutchins, 
however, remarks that the Cross Fox does not exceed the size of the European 
one, and is smaller than the Red Fox. If there really be a difference of size 
between the red and cross races inhabiting the same districts, they ought, perhaps, 
to be considered distinct species. 
The fur of the Cross Fox is valuable, and some years ago it was. worth four or 
five guineas a skin, whilst that of the Red Fox did not bring more than fifteen 
shillings. The difference of value seems to depend principally on the colour, for 
some of the red foxes appear to have as long and as fine fur. 
