way of hunting Foxes, is to proceed in the morning, I creased. The animal is about two feet long and first to their burrows and stop them up; then letting twelve or eighteen inches high: the tail is about sixthe dogs loose, they will undoubtedly start the game teen inches long. The peltry is valued at about a near by, which will make immediately for its hole, dollar or a dollar and a quarter, and is employed in where the hunter being stationed can easily shoot it as various ways by the manufacturers. Immense quanit approaches. So far as our experience goes, this will tities of the Red Fox peltries are annually shipped to not apply to the Red Fox of the U. S. The Red Fox Europe. To be valuable the Fox should be killed of this country seldom burrows, except about the period in the winter. In New England you frequently find a of its producing young, or in cases of actual necessity, farmer with his hounds, who will show you in the always preferring to nestle in some snug leafy corner spring twenty or thirty and sometimes fifty Fox-skins, upon the surface, or a hollow log. And it is seldom the boasted booty of the preceding winter. In the midthat a Fox will 'hole' as soon as convenient after dle and southern states the fur of this Fox is consider'breaking cover.' On the contrary, we have witnessed ed of little or no value. hundreds of instances, wherein the Fox, upon being roused by the hounds, would lead off some thirty or forty miles from the place of starting, and continue to run day and night until the hounds would give out from fatigue; which however might not take place until twenty-four hours after we had sought rest for our limbs, wearied in the long pursuit. We knew of a chase that took place about twenty miles from Boston; wherein the Fox being fiercely pursued by about twenty hounds was pressed towards the city after several circuits, and ran over Charlestown Bridge into the streets of the city. There, from the bruises he received from missiles, and the affright he experienced on every side, from the shouts of multitudes, the poor animal was obliged with seeming reluctance to take refuge in the cellar of the Marlboro' Hotel, kept by Earle, where he was taken. We have likewise known them after running nearly a whole day, take refuge in a pig-sty, and under barns and hay-stacks. At the south, the Fox upon being hotly pursued takes refuge not unfrequently in trees, but we never knew an instance of the kind in New England.

In the words of Dr. Godman, the general colour of this Fox when in full summer pelage is bright ferruginous on the head, back and sides, but less brilliant towards the tail. Beneath the chin it is white, while the throat and neck are a dark gray, which colour is continued along the anteriour part of the belly in a narrow stripe that passes along the breast. The under parts of the body towards the tail are very pale red; and the anteriour parts of the fore legs and feet, as well as the fronts of the inferiour part of the hind legs, are black. The tail is very bushy but less ferruginous than the body, the hairs being mostly terminated with black, which is more obvious towards the extremity than at the origin of the member, giving the whole a dark appearance. A few of the hairs are lighter at the end of the tail, but not sufficiently to allow us to state that it is tipped with white.' We have seen them with several inches of white at the tip of the tail. And frequently at the north do we hear hunters judging of the age of a Fox, by the quantity of white hairs upon the tip of his tail. It being the supposition, that the older the Fox, the more white has he on the tip of the tail. The rule cannot be said to be invariable however, for we have known old Foxes without any white on their tails.

The fur of the Red Fox is long, fine, brilliant in colour, and lustrous over the whole body. In the winter, its length, denseness and brilliancy are greatly in

The food of the Red Fox is so exceedingly various, that it would seem warrantable to place him among the omnivorous animals, were it not that the major part of it is flesh. When he cannot conveniently procure his most delicate repast, poultry, he does not hesitate to humble his palate to that opposite extreme, wherein he relishes carrion, rats, mice, serpents, toads and lizards. He is also fond of seizing hares and rabbits, chasing them as the hound does himself. He catches squirrels and partridges, and whenever he has the opportunity he will relieve the trapper from taking birds, or whatever may be his victim, from his snares and springes. When urged by hunger, he eats vegetables and insects; and it is said, that those that live near the sea coast, will, for want of other food, eat crabs, shrimps, and shell fish. He is also fond of honey, and attacks the wild bee with success. 'Although at first they fly out upon the invader,' observes Goldsmith, 'and actually oblige him to retire, this is but for a few minutes, until he has rolled himself upon the ground, and thus crushed such as stick to his skin; he then returns to the charge, and at last, by perseverance, obliges them to abandon their combs, which he greedily devours, both wax and honey.'

The Red Fox when young may be domesticated to a considerable degree; and were it not for its odour, which very strongly resembles that of the skunk, would become on account of its playfulness and vivacity a very interesting and amusing little pet. Dr. Godman mentions one that was domesticated by a gentleman of Germantown. 'It lived in the same cage and in perfect harmony with a raccoon; showed no fear nor enmity towards the dogs of the farm, but always exhibited the greatest delight on being allowed to play with them.' He mentions another that was fostered by a common cat, but was accidentally killed before it could be known to what result such a singular relation would have led.

The Fox is diffused over Europe, and every where displays the same activity and cunning. The chase of the Fox is a very favourite diversion in Great Britain where it is pursued with the greatest ardour

But there is an obvious difference between the Red Fox of this country and that of Europe, although the precise differing points have never been definitely marked. In the book of the Zoological Gardens, a wood engraving is given of two Foxes distinguished therein as the European Fox and the Red Fox. This picture of the European Fox, is, we think, one of the best representations of our Red Fox that we have evet

seen; we have placed a faithful copy of it at the head which by contrast add to the intensity and brilliance of this article. The picture of the Red Fox there of the black. This last colour is produced by the given however, does not correspond to the Red Fox of longer silken hair which forms the great mass of the pelage, and is occasionally tipped with white; there this country; the hair is longer, and the body larger is a grayish silken hair that constitutes the immediate and more clumsily formed. There has been some dis- covering of the skin. Over the whole body and tail pute among naturalists as to the real difference between the hair is long and tufted, on the paws it is short, and the Red Fox of Europe and that of America; we shall on the face still shorter, the colour of the latter being mostly whitish on the fore part; the eyes are of a yeladvert to it more particularly hereafter. lowish tint.*

This fox resembles the kindred species in the unpleasant odour it diffuses, which is in a considerable

The Fox of all wild animals, is most subject to the influence of climate; and there are found as many varieties in this kind almost as in any of the domes-degree owing to its urine, as well as to a peculiar tick animals. Goldsmith says there are three varieties of this animal in Great Britian. The greyhound fox, is the largest, tallest, and boldest; and will attack a grown sheep. The mastiff fox is less, but more strongly built. The cur fox is the least and most common. It lurks about houses, and steals every thing within its reach.

In the colder countries round the pole, the foxes are of all colours; black, blue, gray, iron gray, silver gray white with red legs, white with black heads, white with the tip of the tail black, red with the throat and belly entirely white, and lastly, with a stripe of black running along the back, and another crossing it at the

shoulders. In the United States we have the Black

or Silver Fox, the Swift Fox, the Cross Fox, and the Gray Fox. In the northern parts of America the Arctick Fox, (white,) the Sooty Fox and other varieties

it hides the remainder of the food, and when disturbed,
glandular secretion. After having satisfied its hunger,
expresses its anger by growling like a dog. A com-
parison of the American black fox with the black fox
of Europe may hereafter show differences sufficient to
authorize it to be considered as distinct from that
species. But until better opportunities of examination
are afforded we shall hazard no opinion on the subject.
The black fox is found throughout the northern parts
of America, and is also obtained in the north of Asia,
valuable of furs.
where it is considered among the richest and most

describe the black Fox of that continent as being of a
We may add that the Natural Historians of Europe
pure shining black. The skin of that Fox is of all
others most esteemed, a single skin often selling for
observes Goldsmith, 'is so disposed, that it is impos-
'The hair of these' black Foxes,
forty or fifty dollars.
sible to tell which way the grain lies; for if we hold
the skin by the head the hair hangs to the tail; and if
we hold it by the tail, it hangs down equally smooth
and even to the head.' These are often made into
muffs, and are at once very beautiful and warm. The
black Fox is exceedingly rare in all the countries it
inhabits.

Were it not for the copious and beautiful black fur of this species, there would be scarcely a characteristick by which to distinguish it from the common fox, (C. Cinereo-argenteus) to which in all other respects it is strikingly similar. In form and proportions, as well mammals founded by M. Isadore Geoffroy St. Hilaire, This animal is a genus of digitigrade carnivorous as in gait and expression of countenance, in sports, for the purpose of giving a place to a new and singular mode of feeding and exhibition of anger, there is no-quadruped brought from the interiour of Caffraria by the thing which may not be equally applied to this and the species above mentioned.

The colour of this fox, as its name implies, is a richly lustrous black, having a small quantity of white mingled with it in different proportions on different parts of the body. Individuals vary considerably in this respect; some have no white except at the extremity of the tail, or a few white hairs scattered along the middle of the breast, or else at irregular intervals a sprinkling of solitary white hairs along the sides, *Buffon, Renard.

late traveller Delalande. The three specimens of this unfortunately, of an immature age, and had not acinteresting animal procured by M. Delalande were all,

* "The silver fox is an animal very rare even in the country he inhabits. We have seen nothing but the skins of this animal, and those in the possession of the natives of the woody country inhabitant of that country exclusively. It has a long deep lead below the Columbia falls, which makes us conjecture it to be an coloured fur for a file, intermixed with long hairs, either of a black or white colour, at the lower part, and invariably white at the tip, forming a most beautiful silver gray."-Lewis & Clark, ii. p. 169.

quired their permanent teeth, so that the characters of their adult dentition still remain to be determined. Enough, however, is known to enable us to assign the most prominent and influential characters of the genus, and to infer with a tolerable degree of accuracy, the habits and economy of the animal.

It is an observation at least as old as Pliny, that Africa is a land of wonders, which continually produces a succession of new and singular objects. In Zoology, the maxim of the Roman philosopher, as to African wonders, is verified almost daily. Amongst the most recent examples of this fact we may adduce the discovery of the proteles; an acquisition of peculiar interest to the zoologist, as forming the intermediate link which connects the civets with the dogs and hyænas, three genera which have hitherto stood, as it were, insulated from surrounding groups, and widely separated from one another. The dogs and hyenas, indeed, had been united a short time previous by the discovery of an intermediate species in the same locality which has since produced the proteles; but it is this latter species alone, which, uniting the characters of all these three genera, enables us to trace their natural affinities, and to assign to them their proper position in the scale of existence.

experienced eye of M. Cuvier, who first examined them, that the dental system of the mature animal must very closely resemble, if it be not actually identical with, that of the civets and genets. The young animal presented three small false molars and one tuberculous tooth on each side, both on the upper and under jaws; and we shall find, in the sequel, that the approximation of M. Cuvier is fully justified by the evidence of another accurate observer, who had an opportunity of examining this animal in its native regions. The genus proteles contains but a single species, the Aard-wolf, or earth-wolf (Proteles cristata,) so called by the European colonists in the neighbourhood of Algoa Bay, in South Africa, the locality in which M. Delalande procured his specimens of this animal. The size of the aard-wolf is about that of a full grown fox, which it further resembles in its pointed muzzle; but it stands higher upon its legs, its ears are considerably larger and more naked, and its tail shorter and not so bushy. At first sight it might easily be mistaken for a young striped hyæna, so closely does it resemble that animal in the colours and peculiar markings of its fur, and in the mane of long stiff hair which runs along the neck and back: indeed, it is only to be distinguished by its more pointed head, and by the addiTo the external appearance and osteological (bony) tional fifth toe of the fore feet. The fur is of a woolly structure of a hyena, this truly singular animal unites texture on the sides and belly, but a mane of coarse, the head and feet of a fox, and the teeth and intestines stiff hair, six or seven inches in length, passes along of a civet. It has five toes on the fore feet, and four the nape of the neck and back, from the occiput to the only on the hind; the innermost toe of the fore foot is origin of the tail, and is capable of being erected or placed, as in the dog's, at some distance above the bristled up, like that of the hyaena, when the animal is others, and therefore never touch the ground when the irritated or provoked. The general colour of the fur is animal stands or walks. The legs also are completely pale cinereous (ash-coloured,) with a slight shade of digitigrade; that is to say, the heel is elevated, and yellowish-brown: the muzzle is black and almost does not come into contact with the surface, as in man naked, or covered only with a few long stiff musand other similarly formed animals which walk upon taches. Around the eyes, and on each side of the the whole sole of the foot, and are thence said to be neck, are dark brown marks; eight or ten bands of the plantigrade. It is of great importance to remark the same colour pass over the body in a transverse direcdifference between these two modifications of the loco- tion, exactly as in the common striped hyæna; and the motive organs, because they have a very decided and arms and thighs are likewise marked with similar extraordinary influence upon the habits and economy transverse stripes. The legs and feet are a uniform of animal life. Digitigrade animals, which tread only dark brown in front, and gray behind. The long hairs upon the toes and carry the heel considerably elevated of the mane are gray, with two broad rings of black, above the ground, have much longer legs than planti-the second of which occupies the point; those of the grade animals, and are therefore especially fitted for leaping and running with great ease and rapidity. Accordingly, it will be observed that the horse, the stag, the antelope, the dog, and other animals remarkable for rapidity of course, partake strongly of this formation; and even their degree of swiftness is accurately measured by the comparative elevation of the heel. Inattentive observers sometimes misapprehend the nature of this peculiar conformation of the extremities of digitigrade animals, and are apt to confound the hough with the ankle, and to mistake for the knee what is really the heel of the animal. Thus we have heard it said, that in the hind legs of the horse, the knee was bent in a contrary direction to that of man. This is by no means true: a little attention to the succession of the different joints and articulations will show that what is called the cannon-bone in the horse, and other digitigrade animals, in reality corresponds to the instep in man, and that what is generally mistaken for the knee really represents the heel.

In the particular case of the proteles the natural effect of the digitigrade formation is, in some degree, lessened by the peculiar structure of the fore legs, which, contrary to the general rule observable in most other animals, are considerably longer than the hind. In this respect, also, the proteles resembles the hyænas; and in both genera this singular disproportion between the anteriour and posteriour extremities abridges the velocity properly due to their digitigrade conformation. It has been already observed that the only individuals of this genus which have been hitherto properly observed were young specimens, which had not acquired their adult dentition; but it was sufficiently obvious to the

tail are similarly marked, and equally long and stiff; whence it appears as if the mane and tail were clouded with an alternate mixture of black and gray. The ears are gray on the interiour, and dark brown on the outer surface.

In its habits and manners the aard-wolf resembles the fox: like that animal it is nocturnal, and constructs a subterraneous burrow, at the bottom of which it lies concealed during the day-time, and only ventures abroad on the approach of night, to search for food and satisfy the other calls of nature. It is fond of the society of its own species; at least, many individuals have been found residing together in the same burrow; and, as they are of a timid and wary character, they have generally three or four different entrances to their holes, so that if attacked on one side they may secure a retreat in an opposite direction. Notwithstanding the disproportionate length of their fore legs they are said to run very fast; and so strong is their propensity to burrow, that one of M. Delalande's specimens, perceiving itself about to be run down and captured, immediately ceased its flight, and began to scratch up the ground, as if with the intention of making a new earth.

M. Isidore Geoffroy St. Hilaire, in his paper on the Proteles, inserted in the eleventh volume of the Memoires du Museum, has bestowed upon this species the name of Proteles Lalandii. He has done so in the belief that the species has not been indicated by any previous traveller. We have considered it proper, however, to substitute the specifick name of Proteles Cristata, for that proposed in honour of M. Lalande, for both Sparrman and Levaillant have mentioned the aard-wolf long before the date of M. Delalande's jour

ney; and the former has not only described it with tolerable accuracy, but has even ascertained its true generick characters, and associated it with the civets, under the denomination of Viverra cristala. The passage alluded to will be found in the English translation of Sparrman's Travels, vol. ii., p. 177.

In the Second Voyage of Levaillant, vol. ii., p. 360, mention is likewise made of this animal under the appellation of loup de terre,' which is a simple translation of its colonial name aard-wolf.

Sparrian mentions having found ants in the stomach of the proteles, and these, it may be observed, are also a favourite food of the bear. The dental system of this animal would further lead us to suppose that, like the fox and hyena, it also feeds upon wild grapes and bulbous roots, as well as upon carrion and the produce of the chase.

THE JACKAL.

Canis Aureus.

very doors, without testifying either attachment or apprehension. They enter insolently into the sheepfolds, the yards, and the stables, and when they can find nothing else, devour the leather harness, boots, and shoes, and run off with what they had not time to swallow.

They not only attack the living but the dead. They scratch up with their feet the new-made graves, and devour the corpse, how putrid soever. In those countries, therefore, where they abound, they are obliged to beat the earth over the grave, and mix it with thorns to prevent the jackals from scraping it away. They always assist each other, as well in this employ-: ment of exhumation, as in that of the chase. While they are at this dreary work, they exhort each other by a most mournful cry, resembling that of children under chastisement; and when they have thus dug up the body, they share it amicably between them. These, like all other savage animals, when they have once tasted of human flesh, can never after refrain from pursuing mankind. They watch the burying-grounds, follow armies, and keep in the rear of caravans. They may be considered as the vulture of the quadruped kind; every thing that once had animal life, seems equally agreeable to them; the most putrid substances are greedily devoured; died leather, and any thing that has been rubbed with grease, how insipid soever in itself, is sufficient to make the whole go down.

we see how experience prompts the gazelle, which is naturally a very timid animal, and particularly fearful of man, to take refuge near him, considering him as the least dangerous enemy, and often escaping by his assistance.

They hide themselves in holes by day, and seldom appear abroad till night-fall when the jackal that has first hit upon the scent of some large beast gives notice to the rest by a howl, which it repeats as it runs; while all the rest that are within hearing, pack in to its assistance. The gazelle, or whatever other beast it may be, finding itself pursued, makes off towards the houses and the towns; hoping, by that means, to deter its pursuers from following; but hunger gives the jackal the same degree of boldness that fear gives the gazelle, and it pursues even to the verge The Jackal, one of the greatest pests' of the coun- of the city, and often along the streets. The gazelle, tries which he inhabits, is diffused over nearly the however, by this means, most frequently escapes; for whole of Asia and the north of Africa, occupying in the inhabitants sallying out, often disturb the jackal the warmer regions of those continents the place of in the chase; and as it hunts by the scent, when once the wolf, of whom in many particulars he may be con-driven off it never recovers it again. In this manner sidered as offering a miniature resemblance, In size he is little larger than the common Red Fox, but he differs from that animal in the form of the pupils of his eyes, which correspond with those of the dog and wolf, in the comparative shortness of his legs and muzzle, in his less tufted and bushy tail, and in the But man is not the only intruder upon the jackal's peculiar marking of his coat. The colouring of his industry and pursuits. The lion, the tiger, and the back and sides consists of a mixture of gray and black panther, whose appetites are superiour to their swiftwhich is abruptly and strikingly distinguished from ness, attend to its call, and follow in silence at some the deep and uniform tawny of his shoulders, haunch-distance behind.* The jackal pursues the whole night es, and legs: his head is nearly of the same mixed with unceasing assiduity, keeping up the cry, and with shade with the upper surface of his body, as is also great perseverance at last tires down its prey; but just the greater part of his tail, which latter however be at the moment it supposes itself going to share the comes black towards its extremity; his neck and fruits of its labour, the lion or the leopard comes in, throat are whitish, and the under surface of his body satiates himself upon the spoil, and his poor provider is distinguished by a paler hue.* must be content with the bare carcass he leaves behind. It is not to be wondered at, therefore, if the jackal be voracious, since it so seldom has a sufficiency; nor that it feeds on putrid substances, since it is not permitted to feast on what it has newly killed. Besides these enemies, the jackal has another to cope with, for between him and the dog, there is an irreconcilable antipathy; and they never part without an engagement. The Indian peasants often chase them as we do foxes; and have learned by experience, when they have got a lion or a tiger in their rear. Upon such occasions they keep their dogs close, as they would be no match for such formidable animals, and endeavour to put them to flight with their cries. When the lion is dismissed they more easily cope with the jackal, who is as stupid as he is impudent, and seems

Although the species of the wolf approaches very near to that of the dog, yet the jackal seems to be placed between them; to the savage fierceness of the wolf, it adds the impudent familiarity of the dog. Its cry is a howl, mixed with barking, and a lamentation resembling that of human distress. It is more noisy in its pursuits even than the dog, and more voracious than the wolf. The jackal never goes alone, but always in a pack of forty or fifty together.-These unite regularly every day to form a combination against the rest of the forest. Nothing then can escape them; they are content to take up with the smallest animals; and yet, when thus united, they have courage to face the largest. They seem very little afraid of mankind, but pursue their game to the

VOL. II.

901

WE are aware that Mathematical Geography is ex-him perished the standard by which the measure called ceedingly dry to general and superficial readers. But in giving a system of Universal Geography, we should sacrifice the interest of the lover of useful knowledge, and do a manifest injustice to the science, did we not lay out the necessary ground work of the system at the outset. Mathematical Geography is the very founda-ciples, such a standard has been established n the tion of all Geography; and to proceed without a competent knowledge of this necessary part of the science, would be building castles in the air, or travelling in a strange country without compass or guide. Our readers must bear with us therefore a little longer, and when this necessary and unavoidable part of our task is finished, we shall take pleasure in laying out the physical Geography of the globe, and illustrating it with appropriate engravings.