6 



ness fox i-aising is still in the experimental stage, and that even the 

 most successful breeders are subject to a percentage of failure. 



THE SILVER FOX. 



The name silver fox," as commonl}^ used b}^ furriers, includes the 

 dark phases of the ordinary red fox, variously called silver, silver- 

 gray, silver-black, or black. The animal is the common fox (Vidpes 

 fulvus) of northern North America, the crafty Reynard of the books, 

 closely allied to the European fox. It should not be confused with the 

 gray fox, or tree fox, of the southern part of the United States, a very 

 different animal, the fur of which has comparatively little value. 

 Naturalists distinguish several species and subspecies, the characters 

 of which are not important in the present connection. The color of 

 the red fox of the northeastern States and of its allies of the colder 

 parts of North America varies from red to black, and these ex- 

 tremes, with the gradations between them, form four more or less 

 distinct phases, respectively known as red, cross (or patch), silver, 

 and black. In the red phase the animal is entirely rich fulvous, 

 except restricted black markings on the feet and ears, a white area 

 at the end of the tail, and certain white-tipped hairs on the back 

 and rump. From this phase to the next the black increases in extent 

 until, in the typical cross fox, the black predominates on the feet, 

 legs, and underparts, while fulvous overlaying black covers most of 

 the head, shoulders, and back. A gradual increase of the black and 

 elimination of the fulvous or its replacement by white brings us to 

 the next phase, the silver (or silver-gray), in which no fulvous 

 appears, the entire pelage being dark at the base and heavily or 

 lightly overlain with grayish white. Silver foxes vary from those 

 in which the color is entirely grizzled to those in which it is entirely 

 black, except a few white-tipped hairs on the back and rump. Finally, 

 in the black phase, the white is absent from all parts except the tip 

 of the tail, which is white in all phases. The red phase is much 

 more abundant than the others, but the three interbreed freely, and 

 wherever one occurs occasional examples of the others also may be 

 expected. In general the cross fox is fairly common, the silver-gray 

 is comparatively scarce, and the pure black is excessively rare. The 

 prices usually paid for skins of the different phases vary according 

 to the relative scarcity of the animals. Thus red fox skins command 

 only a moderate price, cross foxes are somewhat higher, silver foxes 

 are several times higher, and pure black skins are exceedingly valu- 

 able, being higher priced than any other fur except sea otter.'' 



« The followiug prices are quoted on fox skins (nortliea stern) in tlie Fur 

 Trade Review for January, 1908 : Red fox, $1.50 to $3.50 ; cross fox, .$4 to $8 ; 

 silver fox, $50 to $250. These prices are low, and indicate only the relative 

 values of the three color phases. Much higher prices are frequently j^aid for 

 skins of extra quality, especially for high grade silver fox skins. 



