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30 
THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY, 
these substances invariably attract the animals. The box 
trap has occasionally proved successful. The best plan is 
to vary the modes from time to time. 
Renard argente. F. Cuvier, Mamm. lith. livr. v.— 
Canis argentatus. Desmarest, Mamm. 203. Sabine 
Harlan. — Black , or Silver Fox. Godman, i. 274. 
CANIS C VULPES ) FULVUS. 
Var. a. Decussatus. 
AMERICAN CROSS FOX. 
Renard barrb ou Tsinantonque. Theodat. Canada , 
745. — European Fox. var. b. Cross Fox. Pennant, 
Jlrct. Zool. i. 46. — Canis decussatus. Geoffroy, 
Desmarest, &c. 
The American decussatus appears to bear the same 
relation to the red Fox, as the European crucigera does 
to the common Fox. The Indians, observes Dr. Richard- 
son, consider it as a mere variety of the red Fox, and in 
fact, the gradations of colour between characteristic speci- 
mens of the cross and red Fox are so small, that the hunt- 
ers are often in doubt with respect to the proper denomi- 
nation of a skin. 
The following description of a very characteristic speci- 
men, is given by Mr. Sabine. 
“ The front of the head gray, composed of black and 
white hairs, the latter predominating on the forehead; 
ears covered with soft black fur behind, and with long 
yellowish hairs within. The back of the neck and shoul- 
ders pale ferruginous, crossed with dark stripes; one ex- 
tending from the head over the back, the other passing it 
at right angles over the shoulders ; rest of the back gray, 
composed of black fur, tipped with white; the sides pale 
ferruginous, running into the gray of the back; the chin 
and all the under parts, as well as the legs, black; a few of 
the hairs being tipped with white; the under part of the 
tail and adjacent parts of the body, pale yellow; the gray 
colour of the back extends to the upper part of the tail at 
its commencement, the rest of the tail dark above and light 
beneath, tipped with white.” 
F. Cuvier is inclined to think, that it is a variety of the 
argentatus, and Godman supposes that it may possibly be 
a mule produced between that Fox and the red. The fur 
of this species is valuable, and is much more esteemed than 
that of the red Fox, even where they are of equal fineness. 
CANIS r VULPES) FULVUS. 
Var. b. Argentatus. 
BLACK, OR SILVER FOX. 
Renard noir. Theodat. Canada. 744. — European 
Fox, var. a. black. Pennant, Arc. Zool. i. 46. — 
Renard noir ou argente. Geoff. Collec. de Mus . — 
This variety is as rare in America as the analogous 
one is in Europe, a greater number than four or five being 
seldom taken in a season, at any one post of the fur com- 
panies. Capell Brooke observes of the European variety, 
“ The silver, or black Fox is so rare, that seldom more 
than three or four are taken in the course of a year on the 
Lofoden Islands, and I have never heard of its being 
met with in any other part of Norway.” Pennant seems 
to think that this may arise from their superior cunning, 
for he remarks “that the more desirable the fur is, the 
more cunning, and difficult to be taken, is the Fox that 
owns it.” This, however, is erroneous, it depending 
solely on the rarity of the animal. Dr. Godman says, it 
more closely resembles the gray Fox than any other, 
differing from it only, in the colour and copiousness of 
its fur. 
This Fox is sometimes of a rich lustrous black colour, 
with the exception of the end of the tail, which is white. 
But it varies much in this particular. “ A fine specimen, 
preserved in the Hudson’s Bay Museum, has the head and 
back hoary, most of the long hairs on those parts being 
white from the tip for a considerable way down. The 
downy fur at the root of the longer hairs, has a dark black- 
ish brown colour The nose, legs, sides of the neck and 
all the under parts, are dusky, approaching to black. The 
tail is black. Its ears are erect, triangular, but not very 
acute, and are covered with a soft fur of a brownish black 
colour. In some individuals, the fur, which in most parts 
is hoary, has a shining black colour, unmixed with white. 
from the crown of the head to the middle of the back, and 
down the outside of the shoulders, being an approach to 
the cruciform arrangement.”* 
This Fox resembles its kindred, in the unpleasant odour 
it diffuses. F. Cuvier mentions that its smell is very disa- 
greeable, but differs somewhat from that of the common 
Fox of Europe. The black F ox inhabits the same districts 
as the red Fox. 
* Richardson, O. C. 95. 
NOTE. — As we are very solicitous that the Natural History of our native 
animals should be extricated from the confusion and uncertainty in which it still 
remains ; we would feel under obligations to any of our readers, who will furnish 
us with such information as they may possess respecting them. We are led to 
make this request, from a desire to render our work a repository of facts in Na- 
tural History, which will always serve for useful reference. As regards the 
opinion we have expressed with respect to the Red Fox, we shall be very willing 
to acknowledge our error, on the sight of the skin of the Common Fox, killed in 
the United States, and will feel much indebted for such an opportunity of set- 
tling the question. 
