57 
sas, a part of the Indian Territory, and North-western Texas 
—in all together embracing a region about equal in size to the 
present State of Kansas. The northern district extends from 
the sources of the principal southern tributaries of the Yellow¬ 
stone northward into the British possessions, embracing an 
area not much greater than the present territory of Montana. 
Over these regions, however, it is rapidly disappearing, and 
at its present rate of decrease will certainly become wholly 
extinct within the next quarter of a century.” 
Over nearly the whole of this country the Bison formerly 
ranged in vast herds, and the destructive side of man’s nature 
can not be better shown than in the contemplation of the com¬ 
paratively small area to which they are now restricted. Yet 
even here they must be almost countless in numbers to with¬ 
stand even for a short time the prodigious slaughter which 
goes on year after year among them. It has been estimated 
by careful and competent authorities, that from the year 1870 
to 1875 they were killed at the rate of two and one-half mil¬ 
lions a year. 
No. 17.—THE FOX AND WOLF PENS. 
The Red Fox ( Vulpesfulvus) ranges in large numbers from 
the Carolinas northward into Canada, and from the Atlantic 
coast to the Missouri river. It is subject to much variation— 
the Cross Fox ( Vulpes fulvus decussata ), a beautiful animal 
marked with two black stripes crossing each other on the 
shoulders, found from Canada into New York, and occasion¬ 
ally into Pennsylvania, and the Silver Fox ( Vulpes fulvus 
argeniatus) , found sparingly in the north-western States—both 
being permanent and well-marked varieties. The latter is 
known by the beautiful and expensive furs which it supplies. 
The Gray Fox ( Vulpes cinereo-argeniatus') has a complete 
range throughout the United States, increasing in numbers 
towards the south, where it gradually replaces the Red Fox, 
which it much resembles in mode of life. 
The Kit or Swift Fox ( Vulpes velox) is the smallest of 
American foxes, and is confined to the plains of the west. 
The Arctic Fox ( Vulpes lagopus) is common to the polar 
regions of the north, in both hemispheres. Like many species 
which inhabit countries where the ground is covered with snow 
