Carnivoka. MAJIMALIA. Carnivora. 
Ivi 
lapped on either side. The shape is Wolf-like, the 
neck short and thick, the body thick ; the head, 
however, is smaller and somewhat more like that of 
the Fox ; the tail is short and thick, as in the 
Wolf; the legs tolerably high; the snout is longer 
and more pointed than in the Wolf; the ear is toler- 
ably pointed, strong, fine, and shaped as in the latter ; 
the head is broad above ; the end of the nose black 
and moist ; the internal ear well supplied with hairs ; 
the whiskers long and black, and other similar hairs 
implanted along the corner of the mouth and above 
the eyes. 'J’he entire animal is of a dirty grayish-yel- 
low, with the ears and top of the nose inclining to red- 
dish. It brings forth its young in burrows in April, 
often as many as ten in number. Its bark is much 
like that of the domestic Dog. Hunters agree in 
noticing that the Prairie Wolf is exceedingly inquisi- 
tive, a probable cause of which is its enormous appe- 
tite; for no sooner is the report of a gun heard than 
all the curs within earshot are on their feet, and 
venture to approach even toward the hunter. They 
learn to connect the sound of fire-arms with what 
often results, and forthwith anticijiate a feast from 
the fallen carcass. 'This species is about thirty-eight 
inches in length, from the nose to the base of the 
tail ; the tail to end of the vertebrie is fifteen 
inches ; including the terminating hairs, it is about 
three inches more. 'I'he ears are three and a half 
inches in height. This Wolf, in Gray’s later arrange- 
ment (I8G8), is called Chrysocyon latrans, and fol- 
lows the 0. jubata. 
Sub-Family — YULPINHl. 
'I’his group is characterized by an elliptical ])upil 
and a slender head. 'I'he upper incisors are scarcely 
lobed. The i)ost-orbital jirocess of the frontal bone 
is but slightly bent downward, and the anterior edge 
is turned upwards; a longitudinal shallow pit or in- 
dentation is seen at the base. 'I’liis includes the 
Foxes of Horth America, several distinct types of 
which are indicated. In one, the tail is composed of 
long hairs mi.xed with the shorter fur in even pro- 
portion, and exhibiting a handsome bushy cylindri- 
cal appendage. 'The skull is more or less ^Volf-like 
in shape, and several minor details are noticed in the 
cranium. 'I'o this group the generic term Vulpes is 
applied. 'The Gray Fox represents the other group. 
Certain anatomical dill'erences are remarked in the 
skull, and the muzzle is much shorter; but the most 
striking feature is seen in the concealed erect mane 
of stiff hairs along the upper line of the tail, unmi.xed 
with the fur at all, on each side of which the rest of 
the hair is arranged, the latter falling down on the 
sides in a manner quite different from that in tiie 
Red Fox. 'I'he members of this group are designated 
as iMaue-tailed Foxes, Urocyon being the generic 
term, meaning litei'ally Dog-tailed. 
AMERICAN FOX ( Vtdpes fuUus, liich .) — yeveral 
varieties are noticed, which are regarded as only 
such, all really being the same species, but having 
unimportant differences in color and size. 'I'he red 
variety is a bright, clear, yellowish rufous, darkest on 
the fore part of the back and shoulders, where the 
color has a rich purplish tinge. A variety of the red 
is sometimes called the Sampson Fox, which has the 
tail and body without the thong hairs, the soft 
woolly fur being entirely exposed. 'J'he red tints are 
lighter, and there are no grizzled hairs on the hinder 
back. 'The tail has no black in it. In Northern 
Ohio, this variety is most known. Prof. Daird re- 
marks that he has seen a similar condition of the 
hair among skins of the Oanis griseus of Chili, and 
in some other species. 'I’he common Red Fox of 
America was long regarded as identical .with the 
European Red Fox (F. vulgaris). Differences exist, 
though so slight that a comparison of numerous 
specimens of adults is required to establish the mat- 
ter quite fully. In the American Fox, the texture of 
the fur differs in being much longer, more silky and 
softer. 'J'he tail is more bushy and more nearly 
cylindrical. 'I'he muzzle is shorter, and the eyes are 
placed nearer together. 'I'he feet are larger. 'I’he 
red color is not so dark; the tint is less uniform over 
the body ; and the beautiful golden hue which dis- 
tinguishes the fur of the American animal is want- 
ing in the European. In Gray’s paper, in Proc. Zoo. 
Soc., London, 1868, this species is called Yulpes 
pennsylvanica. 
CROSS FOX ( Vul'pes fahus, var. decussatus). — 'I’liis 
is regarded as a variety only, but has been distin- 
guished by the above specific title by Geoff'roy and 
others. It is called Cross Fox from the fact that a 
dark band extends along the back, which is crossed 
by another of same color on the shoulder. It is 
seldom found south of Pennsj'lvania, but is common 
in New York. It is larger than the Red Fox, and 
has a more bushy tail. 'The under surfaces of the 
feet are more closely furred. 'I’he muzzle, legs and 
under parts generally, including the inside of the 
limbs, with the convexity of the ears, are black. 
'I’he tip of the tail is entirely white. 
SILVER FOX, BLACK FOX ( Vulgjes fulms, var. 
argerdatus). — “'I’he color of this variety is a uniform 
lustrous black, with a distinct white tip to the tail. 
On the top and sides of the head, however, and on 
the posterior half of the back, including the outside 
of the thighs, tlie long hairs are grayish-silvery at 
the end (the extreme tips black), grizzling the back 
very conspicuously. 'I’he same feature is observable 
at the base of the tail and to some distance on its 
sides ; it is also seen slightly on the shoulders. The 
under fur is of a sooty color, not very dark, however, 
and becoming lighter on the sides of the neck and 
flanks. In the only one of the three specimens in 
the Smithsonian Collection at IVashington, No. 1190, 
in which the feet are entire, the soles are much less 
densely furi'ed than in the Cross Foxes, and more 
nearly resembling the Red Fox of the Eastern States 
in this -respect. It is by no means certain that these 
specimens are not black varieties of the Vulpes ma- 
crourus.’’ — Baird. Remains of the Red Fox are 
conspicuously absent in the bone caves of America, 
while those of the Gray Fo.x are abundant ; this 
fact is worthy of weighty consideration when we 
reflect that it is possible that the European Fox may 
