Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)/Fox

FOX, in general, the genus Vulpes. The foxes differ from the dogs in having a long, bushy tail, and the pupil of the eye elliptical or nearly linear by day, but becoming circular or nearly so by night. This fits them to be nocturnal animals. The American or red fox is Canix fulvus. Many skins are annually exported from this country. V. lagopus is the Arctic fox. The Deccan fox is V. bengalensis, though Bengal and the Deccan are some distance apart. V. vulgaris, formerly and still by many called, after the example of Linnæus, Canis vulpes, is the common English species. Its cunning is proverbial. It is an inhabitant of nearly all Europe, as well as of western Asia and northern Africa, Other species are the black or silver gray, the cross-gray, and the cross-woods foxes.

Also Callionymus lyra, the gemmeous dragonet, a fish, so called from its yellow color.

In nautical language, a small strand of rope made by twisting several rope-yarns together. Used for seizings, mats, sennits, and gaskets. In mechanics, a wedge driven into the split end of a bolt to tighten it.