Carnivoea. ^MAMMALIA. Cahhivoea. 
have been imported from the Old World, as we 
know that the Horse certainly was introduced here 
'' by the Spaniards. 
PKAIEIE FOX [Vulpes meter ourm, Baird ; V. Utah, 
Aud. and Bach.) — This is the Fox par excellence of 
America, and is regarded as the finest species known. 
Its specific characters are seen in its size, and lengtli 
of fur and tail, exceeding the V. fulvus. The tail 
vertebi’ffi measure eighteen inches, the width of tail 
about eight to nine inches. The ears are very large, 
and acutely pointed, exceeding in these particulars 
the Red Fox. The eyes are even nearer together 
than those of the latter, which feature is strikingly 
different from that of the European animal. The 
colors are much like those of the fulvus. A dark 
yellowish cross is descernable on the shoulders, and 
the upper part of the head is grizzled like the lower 
part of the back. There is more white, especially on 
the lower parts, than in the latter. The fore-feet are 
black ; on the hind-feet, this color only extends in a 
narrow line on the anterior face. The length of the 
Prairie Fox is thirty-three inches from the nose to the 
tip of the tail. A notable peculiarity of the skull of 
this Fox is the elongated and slender muzzle, which 
exceeds that of the Red Fox as much as that of the 
latter does the same part in the European animal. 
THE KIT FOX, SWIFT FOX [Vulpes relax, Aud. 
and Bach.) — This is the Canis cinereo-argentatus of 
Richardson and Sabine ; C. microtus of Reichenbach ; 
and the Kit Fox and Burrowing Fox of Lewis and 
Clark. It is smaller than the Red Fox. The head 
is short and- broad ; the ears are small ; the legs are 
short. I’he tail is very dense, cylindrical and bushy, 
and is about half as long as the body and head. The 
general color above, including the ears and tail, is 
yellowish-gray. The back is prominently grizzled. 
'J'he sides and portions of the legs are pale reddish- 
yellow ; other parts of legs, whitish. 'I'he tail is 
tipped with black. The under fur of this species is 
exceedingly dense, showing plainly through the longer 
hairs. The soles are densely covered with hair, quite 
concealing the naked pads. The fore-claws are 
sharper and more curved than in others. The ears 
are much smaller, are thicker, and are densely coated 
with hair on both sides, except in the passages. This 
Fox is considered too distinctively marked to be 
confounded with any of the American species ; the 
Canis corsac of Siberia is nearer it than any other, 
according to Richardson. Maximilian says : “This 
species, C. velox, scarcely half the size of the Euro- 
pean Red Fox, is shaped somewhat like it. * * 
The eye is greenish-gray, with darker pupil. * * In 
winter, the animal is more of a pale grayish-brown, 
washed with brighter ; all the hairs with decided white 
tips. The total length is two feet, eight inches, seven 
lines. The stomach is considerably curved ; it was 
commonly full of fragments of skin, leather, with hair, 
berries, remnants of mice and grasshoppers, upon 
which the Foxes of the prairies are necessitated to 
live on in a great measure. The female brings forth 
from four to eight young, in holes, in March or April.” 
ARCTIC FOX ( Vulpes lagopus, Linn.) — This beau- 
tiful creature is, as its name imports, a denizen of the 
Yon. I.— ft. 
Ivii 
Arctic regions of the globe, and is seldom seen far- 
ther south. Audubon claims that it is occasionally 
found in Newfoundland. It is smaller than the Red 
Fox; its tail is large and full; soles of the feet 
thickly furred, which gives rise to the specific name. 
The adult is pure white, the young a greyish-lead 
color. The term Pied Fox is sornetimes used for 
this species, as in James’ Voyages, 1633. Pennant 
called it Greenland Dog; Godinan has it Isatis or 
Stone Fox; the Esquimos of Melville Island call it 
Terreeanee-arioo ; the Greenlanders, Terienniak ; the 
Russians, Peszi. 'I’he Arctic Fox becomes very tame 
when kept near a camp, and the wild ones suffer 
themselves to be caught very easily. See also vol. 
i, p. 105. 
GRAY FOX [Vulpes rirginianus ). — This is one of 
the forms claimed as Urocyon, the Gray Fox being- 
typical of the group of that name alluded to under 
the sub family heading. Dr. Gray calls them bristle- 
tailed Foxes. It is the Canis cinereo-argentatus of 
many writers; 0. griseus of Boddaert; Renard tri- 
color of St. Hilaire and Cuvier. 'Hie specific charac- 
ters of this species are seen in the head and body 
being somewhat over two feet in length, the tail 
rather more than half as long, with a concealed mane 
of stiff hairs. 'I’he prevailing color is a mixed hoary 
and black. 'J’he convexity and base of the ears, 
sides of neck, edge of the belly, and a large portion 
of the fore-legs, are a rusty or cinnamon color. En- 
circling the muzzle is a black band, widening on the 
chill. 'I'he lower portion of face, and the throat, are 
pure white. 'J'he tail is hoary on its sides ; on the 
upper side and its tip, black ; beneath, rusty. The 
Gray Fox is found in the Middle States, in Texas 
and California, and on the north-west coast at Fort 
Vancouver. 
COAST FOX, SHORT-TAILED FOX [Vulpes littor- 
alis, Baird). — 'I’his is another of the group for which 
the generic term Urocyon has been suggested. It is 
hardly more than half the size of the preceding- 
species. 'J’lie tail is about one third the length of 
the body. The body above is hoary and black. 'J’he 
sides of the neck, fore-legs and lower parts of sides, 
a dull cinnamon. 'J’he chin and sides of muzzle, 
black. The tail has a concealed mane of stiff hairs, 
as in the Gray Fox, and with a black stripe on the 
upper surface. 'I’his is the smallest of the American 
species. Lieut. Trowbridge, U. S. A., brought a 
number from San Miguel, California, where, he says, 
they are very tame, scarcely taking the trouble to 
get out of the way, and, when escaped from a trap, 
returning directly to the same place — in this, resem- 
bling the Arctic Fox, which is said to even enter the 
trap a second time almost immediately. 'I’his species 
is a miniature of the Gray Fox, so closely resembling 
it that a casual observer might well mistake it for a 
smaller individual of the same. In the history of 
several specimens recorded is mentioned the circum- 
stance of the tail vertebr® being missing, the re- 
sult seemingly of mutilation, 'i’liis curiously compares 
with similar facts concerning the Psora of California. 
Among the few points of difference between this and 
the preceding is a softer and fuller fur, the coarse 
