ANIMALS OF NORTH AMERICA. 
39 
territory ; is very voracious, as a proof of which Capt. Lyon, 
who accompanied Parry, mentions having found in the stomach 
of one which he examined “ a mass of rope-yarn and line, among 
which some plaited pieces were fully six inches long.” It is 
very cleanly, and no unpleasant smell is preceptible from it — 
an exception unknown to the rest of the species. It is of a 
pure white in winter, becoming brownish or gray in summer. 
The following anecdote is given of the gray fox : A few 
years since, one was started in New Jersey, and after run- 
ning a few miles before the dogs, was shot at and apparently 
struck, as he made several somersaults and then fell, but re- 
covering, started off again. Another hunter next had a 
chance, and poor Reynard again fell, was taken up and 
carried home to all appearance a dead fox, and accordingly 
thrown into a corner of the room. While the hunters were at 
supper, the supposed dead animal was seen to raise himself on 
his fore-legs, cautiously looking about to see what chance there 
was of escape, but finding himself observed, he again resumed 
the quiescent state. One of the party now passed a piece of 
burning paper under his nose, but to all appearance he lay 
senseless as a stone. The room, however, was closed for the 
night, and it was found in the morning running about inside 
as though nothing had happened. On examination, not a 
bone was found broken, and with the exception of a slight 
wound in the shoulder and a soiled coat, he was as well as ever. 
The writer some years ago obtained a cub of the V. Fulvus 
about three weeks old, which from the care bestowed upon it, 
became as great a favorite with his children as a dog, evin- 
cing with them no savageness, but whining and snapping at 
any stranger. Though chained in the garden beside an arti- 
ficial burrow, near the resort of his owner’s poultry, amongst 
whom he had been reared, he never attempted to touch one 
of them ; but should some luckless chicken from a neigh- 
boring yard find its way into the limits of his tether, it 
never returned to tell the tale. 
