Cards Cinereo-argenteus. Grizzled Fox.
A hunter’s specimen of this pretty quadruped was obtained at Carlton-House. It is
common on the sandy plains between the north and south branches of the Saskat-
chawan. The skins of this spedies are imported by the Hudson’s Bay Company, under
the name of Kitt Foxes. It is the smallest kind which inhabits North America, and
though not unknown to naturalists, is but very imperfectly described. Its Latin specific
name was applied by Gmelin. Dr. Shaw has called it the Fulvous-necked Fox,
but the name is so inapplicable as to render a new English appellation absolutely
necessary. It is the Prairie Dog of the French settlers in America. The length
of the head and body is about twenty-four, and of the tail, eleven inches. The
upper parts of the head are grizzled, consisting of white, brown, and fulvous hairs;
over the shoulders, on the back and sides, towards the tail, the fur is short and grizzled,
having black and whitish hairs intermixed ; the sides next the shoulders have
longer fur, which is ferruginous : the throat and belly are white ; the tail is thick
and bushy, the fur of the upper side is pale, slightly tipped with black, the under part
is ferruginous, and the end entirely black. It is not impossible that the animal described
in the History of Quadrupeds, which was received by Mr. Brooks, from Pennsylvania,
under the name of Brant Fox, and referred by Pennant to the animal of that
name, described by Gessner and Linnaeus, may belong to this species in size, it
accords, but the colours do not exactly agree with that of the present specimen.
Cards Lagopus. Arctic Fox.
The Arctic Foxes were found breeding at Point Turnagain on the Arctic Sea; they
generally continue on the sea-coast, and seldom visit the interior except in severe
winters ; a few breed near York Factory. They were seen by the expedition under
Captain Parry, on all the North Georgian Islands, where they remain during the winter.
The animal is the Isatis of Buffon, and, in its summer coat, has been erroneously
called the Blue Fox. In its winter state, it is the White Fox of commerce.
Specimens were brought home of the animal, as it is found in both seasons; the White
Foxes are so well known, that a description of them is unnecessary, but naturalists are
less acquainted with the species in its summer state ; when the specimens are together,
a person unacquainted with the circumstance, would, with difficulty, be persuaded to
believe them to belong to the same animal; the abundance and length of the winter
coat gives it a very enlarged appearance, whilst, on the contrary, the short condition of
its summer fur, causes it to seem peculiarly small. In this state, the head and the chin
are brown, having some fine white hairs scattered through the fu r; the ears, externally,
are covered like the head, within they are white ; a similar brown colour extends along
the back to the tail, and from the back is continued down the outsides of all the legs,
but on the latter, a few white hairs are intermixed ; the whole under-parts and the
insides of the legs, are a dingy white ; the tail is brownish above, becoming whiter
at the end, and is entirely white beneath.
Felis Canadensis. Canadian Lynx.
A very fine specimen of this beautiful but rapacious animal, which is usually called
in the British settlements and amongst the hunters of America, the Wild Cat, was
sent from Cumberland-House. It is a timid animal, offers little resistance when
attacked, and is easily despatched by a blow on the back. The remarkable points
of its character are, its sharp ears, tipped with a tuft of black hair ; long
bunches of hair on each side at the back of its under jaw : its thick and furry
legs and feet, and its short tail tipped with black. The specimen stands about
sixteen inches high, and measures three feet from the top of its nose to the end of
the tail, which latter is only four inches long; the mass of hair on its back and
sides is short and thick, that on the back is dark below tipped with white, on the
sides reddish below and tipped also with white, the whole having a reddish grey
mottled appearance, but not spotted ; the hair of the belly is light and long; that of
the head is grey, as on the back, but shorter; the head is thick and short*, the eyes
placed forward, whiskers white and turned back; nails white, short, and sharp,
slightly curved. M. Geoffroy St. Hilaire separated this animal from the European
Lynx, considering it a distinct species. The skins, which are imported from America,
make a beautiful fur, and are in high estimation, near nine thousand being the
amount imported last year by the Hudson’s Bay Company. The flesh is good as food,
it is white, and has some resemblance to a rabbit in flavour. It preys chiefly on the
common Hares (Lepus Americanus) of the country.
Castor Fiber. Beaver.
Beavers are found to the northward as far as the wooded countries extend, but there
were none in the Barren Grounds to the eastward of the Copper-Mine River. The
import of Beaver skins last year by the Hudson’s Bay Company, amounted to
sixty thousand. A black variety is sometimes taken, and is considered a valuable
rarity. Dr. Richardson also states that a white variety is of occasional occurrence.
Fiber Zibethicus. Musk Rat.
The Musk Rats, or Musquashes, as they are called, were abundantly found almost
during the whole journey, evenfarnorth. It is surprising that the stock of these industrious
animals (whose habits, so similar to those of the Beaver, are well known, and
have often been described; does not give way to the annual destruction of their race
for the supply of commerce ; very nearly 150,000 of the skins were imported last year * 4 * A T> 9