NORTHERN ZOOLOGY.
their numbers almost exceed credibility. Many are captured there by the hunters,
and the greater part of the survivors cross the Churchill River as soon as it is
finoxea over, and continue their journey along- the coast to Nelson and Severn
Rivers. In like manner they extend their migrations along the whole Labrador
coast to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Most of those which travel far to the southward
are destroyed by rapacious animals; and the few which survive to the spring,
breed in their new quarters, instead of returning to the north. The colonies they
found are, however, soon extirpated by their numerous enemies. A few breed at
Churchill, and some young ones are occasionally seen in the vicinity of York factory.
There are from three to five young ones in a litter.
The Esquimaux take the Arctic foxes in traps, which are described by Captain
Parry as being “ extremely simple and ingenious. They consist of a small circular
arched hut built of stones, having a square aperture at the top, but quite close
and secure in every other part. This aperture is closed by some blades of whalebone,
which, though in reality only fixed to the stones at one end, appear to form a
secure footing, especially when the deception is assisted by a little snow laid on
them. The bait is so placed that the animal must come upon this platform to get
at i t ; when the latter, nnable to bear the weight, bends downwards, and after precipitating
the fox into the trap, which is made too deep to allow of his escape,
retains by its elasticity to its former position, so that several may then be caught
succesavefy.” They are also taken in the wolf-traps of ice, described in page 65,
and all the rocky islands lying off the month of the Coppermine River are studded
with square traps, built of stone by the Esquimaux, wherein the fox is killed by a
fiat stone falling npon him when he pulls at the bait.
The for of the Arctic fox is of small value in commerce when com pared with that
of any variety of the red fox. Its flesh, on the other hand, particularly when
young, is edible; whilst that of the red fox is rank and disagreeable. Captain
Franklin's party agreed with Heame, in comparing the flavour of a young Arctic
fox to that of the American hare. Captain Lyon considered it to resemble the
flesh of a kid.
MAMMALIA,
C a m s l a g . v a r . ß. f u l i g i s o s c s . Sooty Fox.
Canis Lagopi varietas. Pallas, 32. Au.ll57?&-
Sooty D o g . Pennaxt, Hut. Q a a d ^ n s L t jp.
Kernektak. Fabricics, Fauna GuutL,^- 28L Jkn..
Can is fuliginosus. Shaw, Za*A.. tbL L jl 329-
Blue Fox (and Cauls fullginomsO MACsxarzxsfs Tmamk iu Iwiauci. jj 327
Le chien bran. Desxabejt, Mmniu- m mit&Sf gu SI&
Tree-inngjadc-kaanortoot {Madk foxes.} EsswriaHj&rs-
This is evidently a mere variety of die Arctic fox, amlar to if e Madk variety off
the red fox, although more common. It has the £ m anwl stator© -off ife Aidfis
fox, and may be easily distinguished from the black or silver fox of ooraneraeg Ifoy
its round ears, and its very inferior far. It differs from due ordkiary srammier
or winter states of the Arctic fox, in being almost entirely of an imafom yfcadkiish-
brown colour.
D E SC E IP nO S i.
One killed on Winter Island, in lai. ®sa the ItSth Ißkscssnlbsr, 2iad iShe longest sml
■darkest fur on the belly, the colour there being Madk with a sflaght ifcinage ©IF faswrau The face,
from a sprinkling of short white hairs, was hoary, and there ware a very few white Ikaijrs an
the back, not sufficient, however, to vary the cdkwar, tmdtess <tm dcK® inspectifsiL. TOhe whsie
fur on the body was long, had a conadaraMe luasSme, anad when Mown iisssiete, avbabfted a
bright asli-grey colour towards its roots. The for ora the soles of the feet was ©f a
white colour, and as bushy as on the feet of the white variety am the wmtar itirane. The dbws
were of the same size and colour as those of the pure white varfety, asad diiifiered in form from
those of the red fox. This individual had attained the fell size d f the Airötic fox.
On Captain Franklin's last Expedition, similar specimens were seen in the snamner near
the mouth of the Mackenzie. A specimen procured by Captam Beedhey in Kebring’s
Straits, differed merely in having longer and liner for, of a pate -dhestotft edkttrr. 'w idhctet any
admixture of white hairs. The lace was yolfowish-Mown, w ith a white te the
iip. The rounded ears were covered with silky fer on each side, and wiih dbortesr and pater
fur on the margins. The fur on the tail was -coarser, woolly, -carted, and sewjewhatt 'matted,
und of a dull yellowish-brown, altogether xoty '«alike the silky hrash -of the Hack variety -Of
Cunts fnlm s. The tip of the tail in this spe-dmea was -of the saaae eofour Ä the rest -of it.
The anterior surfaces of the legs were covered with yelfow-islhd’irow-tft fer, foruawg a $«*oeth
shining coat, and the soles with dense yellowish -white, woolly hair.