134 



NORTH AMERICAN, FAUNA 66 



The question natuirally arises as to how a coyote reached this eastern locality. It 

 is, of course, impossible to say definitely. The animal probably escaped from cap- 

 tivity. Or it may represent an extreme eastern extension of the geographic range 

 of coyotes. There is no direct evidence for or against either of the suppositions. 

 It is known that the range of the coyotes has gradually extended northward 

 and eastward, but it would seem hardly probable that the species has, as yet, 

 ingressed a region as far east as central Maryland. 



The area in which this animal was taken was transversed by a ma- 

 jor east-west arterial highway (U.S. Route 40) and it seems highly 

 likely that the animal was brought into the area artifically. This view 

 is supported by the fact that nearly 40 years elapsed before another 

 coyote was discovered in Maryland. If the Montgomery County coyote 

 really represented a southward or eastward extension of the range of 

 the species, there probably would have been at least occasional reports 

 of their presence in the State in later years. As it is, not until 21 April 

 1961 was another coyote discovered in Maryland. On this date, a coyote 

 was shot in Cecil County near the Delaware border by employees of 

 the Delaware Board of Game and Fish Commissioners. Here again, 

 the area where the animal was shot is near a major east- west highway 

 system and not very distant from the cities of Baltimore, Wilmington, 

 and Philadelphia. It seems likely that the animal was brought east as 

 a pet, and either was released or escaped from captivity. On the other 

 hand, the increasing number of reports of coyotes from New England, 

 New York, and other Northeastern States make it more probable now 

 than it was 40 years ago that the species has reached Maryland in its 

 natural range expansion. It is still, nevertheless, impossible to say 

 definitely. 



RED FOX 



Vulpes vulpes fulva (Desmarest) 



Canis ful'vus Desmarest, Mammalogie . . ., pt. 1, p. 203, in Encyclo- 

 pedie methodique . . . 1820. 

 Type Locality. — Virginia. 



General distrihution. — Most of the Eastern United States, from southern 

 Maine, southern Ontario and Wisconsin, south to Alabama, Georgia, and the 

 Carolina®. 



Distribution in Maryland. — Occurs in all sections of the State. 



Distinguishing chara/^teristics. — Dental formula as in Gamis; sim- 

 ilar in size and general characteristics to a small dog; nose sharply 

 pointed; ears prominent and erect; tail long and bushy, fulvous, but 

 strongly streaked with black, and always with a white tip ; pelage long 

 and soft; coloration rusty on face and occiput, usually mixed with 

 whitish ; upper parts colored bright yellowish red, or fulvous, darker 

 on the median line, with the rump grizzled with whitish ; cheeks, chin, 



