inhabits the warmer parts of the old continent, and seems to occupy the giace of the wolf, which is not there so common. "In size," says Mr Bennett, "he is about equal to the common fox, but he differs from that equally troublesome animal in the form of the pupils of his eyes, which correspond with those of the dog and of the wolf; in the comparative shortness of his legs and muzzle; in his less tufted and bushy tail; and in the peculiar marking of his coat. The coloring of his back and sides consists of a mixture of gray and black, which is abruptly and strikingly distinguished from the deep and uniform tawny of his shoulders, haunches, and legs; his head is nearly of the same mixed shade with the upper surface of his body, as is also the greater part of his tail, which latter, however, becomes black towards its extremity; his neck and throat are whitish, and the under surface of his body is distinguished by a paler hue." The yellow which is about him is the reason why many authors have called the jackal the golden wolf.

As the species of the wolf approaches that of the dog, so the jackal finds a place between them both. The jackal, or adil, as Belon says, is a beast between the wolf and the dog. To the ferocity of the wolf, it joins, in fact, a little of the familiarity of the dog. Its voice is a kind of a howl, mixed with barking and groaning; it is more noisy than the dog, and more voracious than the wolf; it never stirs out alone, but always in packs, of twenty, thirty or forty; they collect together every day, to go in search of their prey; they make themselves formidable to the most powerful animals, by their number; they attack every kind of beasts or birds, almost in the presence of the human species; they abruptly enter stables, sheepfolds, and other places, without any sign of fear; and when they cannot meet with any other thing, they will devour boots, shoes, harnesses, &c., and what leather they have not time to consume they take away with them. When they cannot meet with any live prey, they dig up the dead carcasses of men and animals. The natives are obliged to cover the graves of the dead with large thorns, and other things, to prevent them from scratching and digging up the dead bodies. The dead are buried very deep in the earth; for it is not a little trouble that discourages them. Numbers of them work together, and accompany their labor with a doleful cry; and, when they are once accustomed to feed on dead bodies, they run from country to country, follow armies, and keep close to the caravans. This animal may be styled the crow of quadrupeds; for they will eat the most putrid or infectious flesh; their appetite is so constant and so vehement, that the driest leather is savory to them; and skin, flesh, fat, excrement, or the most putrefied animal, is alike to their taste.

Is one of the most widely distributed animals, and is found in all the temperate and northern regions of the old and new world. With one exception, the structure of the eye, the organization of the fox and dog are similar. Hence the fox preys by night. He has always been famous for his cunning; he generally fixes his residence at the edge of a wood, and yet not far removed from some cottage or some hamlet. He listens to the crowing of the cock, and the cackling of other domestic fowls: even at a considerable distance he scents them, and seizes his opportunity. If he be able to get into the yard, he begins by levelling all the poultry without remorse. This done, he carries off a part of the spoil, hides it at some convenient distance, and again returns to the charge. Taking off another fowl in the same manner, he hides that also, though not in the same place; and this method he practises for several times together, till warned by the approach of day, or the noise of the family, he finally retires. The same arts are observed when he finds birds entangled in springs laid for them by the fowler; with whom the fox, taking care to be beforehand, very expertly snatches the birds out of the snare, conceals them in different places, leaves them there sometimes for two or three days, and is never at a loss to recover his hidden treasure. He is equally alert in seizing the young hares and rabbits, before they have strength enough to escape him; and when the old ones are wounded and fatigued, he is sure to come upon them in the moments of distress, and to show them no mercy. In the same manner he finds out the nests of the partridge and the quail, and seizes the mother while sitting.

The fox is so voracious, that, when deficient of better food, he devours rats, mice, lizards, toads, and serpents. Insects and shell-fish he is likewise sometimes known to eat. In vain does the hedgehog roll itself up into a ball to oppose him: this determined glutton teases it till it is obliged to appear uncovered, and then devours it. The wasp and the wild bee are attacked by him with equal success. Though at first they fly out upon their invader, and actually oblige him to retire, yet this repulse is but for a few minutes, till he has rolled himself upon the ground, and thus crushed such as may have stuck to his skin: he then returns to the charge, and at length, by dint of perseverance, obliges them to abandon their combs, which he greedily devours, both wax and honey.

The young foxes are born blind, like dogs; like them, too, they are eighteen months or two years in coming to perfection, and live about thirteen or fourteen years. They are nursed with great affection by the mother, who has been known to run with them in her mouth several miles when hunted. The senses of the fox are as good as those of the wolf; his scent is more acute, and the organ of his voice is more supple and more perfect. The wolf is never heard but by dreadful howls, while the fox only yelps, barks, and sends forth a mournful sound, resembling the cry of the peacock. His tones, too, are different, according to the different sentiments with which he is affected. He has one sound expressive of desire, another of murmur, another of sorrow, and another of pain: the latter is never heard from him, unless in the instant that he is wounded by shot, and has lost the use of some member; for, like the wolf, when attacked with cudgels alone, he never murmurs, but will defend himself with obstinacy, and fight in silence to the last gasp. He bites dangerously, and with such determined fury, that, in order to make him relinquish his hold, ponderous wooden and even iron bars are necessary to be forced between his jaws.

The flesh of the fox is not so bad as the flesh of the wolf. Dogs, and even men, eat it in autumn, especially if the animal has fed on grapes; and, in winter, good furs are made of his skin. He sleeps so sound, that, however closely approached, there is no great danger of awaking him. When he only means to rest himself, he stretches out his hind legs, and remains flat on his belly. In this posture he watches for the birds as they perch on the hedges; who no sooner perceive him, than they give each other warning of their approaching danger. The jackdaw and the magpie, in particular, often follow him along to the distance of some hundred paces, still towering beyond his reach, and, with their cries and notes of hostility, apprise other animals to beware.

Of all wild animals, the fox is most subjected to the influence of climate, and there are found nearly as many varieties in this species, as in that of any domestic animal. The generality of foxes in Europe are red; of some, however, the hair is of a grayish cast; and, of all, the tip of the tail is white, In the northern countries foxes of all colors are found.

THE ARCTIC FOX,1

In its full winter dress, is entirely of a pure white color, except at the tip of the tail, where there are a few black hairs intermixed. Before the eyes, and on the lower jaw, the hair is short and sleek; on the posterior part of the cheeks, and on the forehead, it becomes longer, and on the occiput and neck it equals the ears in length, and is intermixed with soft wool. There is so much wool on the body, that it gives the fur the character of that of the American hare. In the months of April and May, when the snow begins to disappear, the long white fur falls off, and is replaced by shorter hair, more or less colored. The head and chin are then brown, having some fine white hairs scattered through the fur. A similar brown color extends along the back to the tail, and down the outside of all the legs; the under parts of the body being of a dingy white.

The perfect similarity of habits, and the series of variations in their fur, may lead us to conclude that the arctic foxes of the New and Old World are of the same species. They are inhabitants of the most northern lands hitherto discovered, and in North America they are numerous, on the shores of Hudson's Bay, north of Churchill, and exist also in Bhering's Straits.

The brown variety of the Arctic fox breeds on the sea-coast, within the Arctic circle. They form burrows in sandy spots in little villages, twenty or thirty burrows being constructed adjoining each other. Towards the middle of winter they retire to the southward, evidently in search of food, keeping as much as possible on the coast.

Captain Lyon, who has studied the manners of the Arctic fox with attention, says, "that it bears a great resemblance to the European species, though it is considerably smaller. The general time of rest is during the daylight, in which they appear listless and inactive, but the night no sooner sets in, than all their faculties are awakened: they commence their gambols, and continue in unceasing and rapid motion till morning. Their bark is so modulated, as to give you an idea that the animal is at a distance, although at the very moment he lies at your feet. They feed on eggs, young birds, blubber, and carrion of any kind; but their principal food seems to be lemmings of different species. A confinement of a few hours often sufficed to quiet one of them; and some instances have occurred of their being perfectly tame although timid, from the first moment of their captivity. Their fur is of small value in commerce."

1 C. lagopus, Lin.

THIS animal is very rare, a greater number than four or five being seldom taken in a season in the fur countries. The fur is six times the value of any other fur produced in North America. It is sometimes found of a shining black, the tip of the tail being white. It is commonly found of a black color, intermixed with hairs tipped with white. I bits the same districts with the red fox. It is not yet clearly proved that it is of the same species as the black fox of Europe, though it bears a strong resemblance to it.

THE common fox of America is supposed by Cuvier to be a distinct species from the red fox of Europe. It inhabits all parts of the United States. It

1 C. argentatus, DESM.

C. fulvus, DESM.