Page:Polar Exploration - Bruce - 1911.djvu/126

122 of the back, and the thighs. The blue fox (Canis lagopus) is next in value. Its coat remains blue all the winter, the hair lengthening considerably. The Arctic fox, which may be a variety of the blue fox, has a short greyish brown and white coat in summer, and a long white coat in winter. I believe these two forms seldom, if ever, inter-breed. These foxes are exceedingly numerous in all parts of the Arctic Regions, and frequent especially the many great bird rookeries that occur in Arctic lands. They are among the most characteristic animals of the Arctic. They used to be in great numbers in Prince Charles Foreland, where the Scottish Expedition carried out survey work during three summer seasons, but the advent of the Norwegian hunter with his traps and his devilish poison has almost exterminated them. In 1906 and 1907 hundreds of these animals were seen, but in 1909 they were practically non-existent, none having been seen by any of the Conqueror's party, and only one having been heard barking although almost every part of the island was traversed by the explorers. This beautiful animal is extraordinarily bold, though it can scarcely be said to be tame. The Scottish explorers in 1906 and 1907 had these animals coming to within a few feet of them, eating the fat out of the frying-pan of the canteen, stealing the sugar, bacon