FOX. 
Canis Vulpes. C. cauda recta, apice albo. Lin, Syst. Nat 
P' 59- 
Dog with strait tail tipped with white. 
Vulpes. Gesn. Quadr. 966. Jldr. dig. 195. Jonst, Quadr. 82. 
Renard. Buff, y-p- 'J^.pL 6. 
The Fox, like the Wolf, appears to be pretty 
generally diffused throughout all the northern 
and temperate parts of the globe ; occurring with 
numerous varieties^ as to shades of colour and 
gradations of size, in most parts of Europe, the 
north of Asia, and America. The general colour 
of the Fox is yellowish-brown, or ferruginous 
above and whitish beneath : the tip of the tail is 
also white ; and this circumstance forms the prin- 
cipal part of the Linnaean specific character of 
the animal, and though it appears rather too 
slight to be fixed upon as a criterion of the spe- 
cies, yet, perhaps, it would not be very easy to 
form one that would be more decisive. Accord- 
ing to Mr. Pennant (in his British Zoology), the 
variety called the Cur Fox, which is said to be 
somewhat smaller than the general run of Foxes 
in England, and more addicted to lurk about 
hedges, outhouses, &c. has the tip of the tail 
black instead of white ; if, however, this supposed 
variety be the Canis Alopex of Linnaeus, it is con- 
sidered in the Systema Naturee as a distinct spe- 
cies. Sometimes, though very rarely, the Fox 
has been found entirely white; an instance of 
which occurs in the works of Ridinger. 
