FOX

There’s reason --besides the fables-for asso­ciating the fox with the idea of cunning. Even so, he is not alone among the animals in possessing a kind of foresight and slyness. Others of his attri­butes are less well advertised. Among the denizens of the forest, for instance, he is especially kind to his children, and his wife never has cause to com­plain. We all know about the secret emergency exit in his home whether it be a hollow tree, rock cavity or den, but the books seldom tell us that he will jump onto the hanging branches of a tree when pressed in pursuit.

Of all the foxes, the silver is the most elegant and delicate. It is a freak of the red fox family, appear­ing in a blue-black coat sprinkled with silver in contrast to his red brothers and sisters. The more lavish the appearance of silver hairs, the finer the pelt. For years silver fox had been greatly prized, but it occurred too rarely to be worn by many. A single pelt has been known to sell for $2500. Now Fur farming has become an important enterprise and the pedigreed silver fox shows its breeding by an increasing wealth of silver. The animal is a fas­tidious, high tensed, nervous animal - and must be cared for as meticulously as a pedigreed horse or dog. The tip of the tail of the silver fox is white, as is its skin. One may also find that the white tip of the tail has been sewed in. There are no good imitations of silver fox. Inferior skins may be touched up and enhanced, but a black Fur with badger hairs inserted to produce the silver fox (known as pointed fox) is a poor substitute.

The Arctic foxes, both blue and white, are next to the silver fox in value. The genuine Alaska blue is a color which cannot be truly imitated, though imitation is attempted often enough. It wears bet­ter than the silver fox.

Most widely distributed of the eight general spe­cies is the red fox. The finest red specimens, the most thickly Furred and superbly colored, come from Alaska and Kamchatka. Other red foxes of varying color and quality are found in Europe, Canada and Japan. The farther north the better, generally speaking.

The polar fox, or white fox, is pure white, some­times turning to a slightly yellowish tone in sum­mer. It is used both in its natural or dyed state. There are no streaks down the back.

The cross fox, third fox in point of value, is also a sport of the red fox family. Conspicuously marked with a brown-black cross on the shoulder, its col­oring varies from reddish-brown to black, with of­ten a silver tone. The darker the Fur, the more highly prized.

The gray or Virginia fox is slightly coarser in tex­ture, wears well, and is used in both natural or dyed state.

Contrary to common belief the "kit" or swift fox, is not a baby fox but a full grown little animal with soft Fur and very little top hair. The Pampas fox hails from South America and is sometimes incor­rectly known as a South America kit fox or Azara's Dog.

No Fur is more flattering than fox, the lovely luster and silken sheen assuring it a permanent role in Fur fashions. Because of its softness and beauty, fox must be well cared for to avoid breaking the hair.