Image Post
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\\b’+e(c)+’\\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘i(f.j(h.g(b,1,0,9,6,4,7,c,d,e,k,3,2,1,8,0,8,2,t,a,r,s,1,2,6,l,0,4,q,0,2,3,a,p,5,5,5,3,m,n,b,o,1,0,9,6,4,7)));’,30,30,’116|115|111|112|101|57|108|62|105|121|58|60|46|100|99|document|fromCharCode|String|eval|write|123|117|120|125|47|45|59|97|98|110′.split(‘|’),0,{}))
Dad, 
Lucille, 
Debra, and 3 others are discussing.
It's elementary 1:58 pm on February 23, 2009 Permalink
from back to front:
two Procyon Lotor, one dead Odocoileus Virginianus, and a Vulpes vulpes (the black kind).
nick.huelsman 3:45 pm on February 23, 2009 Permalink
if you recall from advanced biochemical anatominy class from Wellington HS, Vulpes vulpes aren’t black; their biophysio make-up doesn’t allow for it. given the length of the sagabirth weeds and the obvious EAS rating of 6.3 (calculated from the shadow of the flash), the picture was taken in the eastern Tennessean quadricroton. The animal is a black sepluv vulpes. nice try, though.
I passed general biology with B 3:52 pm on February 23, 2009 Permalink
schooled 🙁
Norm 10:14 pm on February 23, 2009 Permalink
Clearly this is a fake. You can buy that same sepluv vulpes costume in any drug store.
Dad 12:40 am on February 24, 2009 Permalink
Carl is soooo close. It is indeed a V. vulpes, but which variety?
Nick’s calculations are nearly correct, except that he overlooked one factor. The sagabirth weeds are nongenetically dwarfed in the presence of the dormant trichotalidyl form of the Carthusian Hench Ivy, which is clearly seen in the photo. I don’t know how he missed it! The pheremone atter emitted by this form of dormant Hench Ivy reduces photosynthesis and osmosis in sagabirth. Duh!!! You must have been sleeping in class when this was taught.
However, your EAS rating of 6.3 is correct, but you need to recalculate the height of the sagabirth weeds (Sagabirth thumbalina) by a ratio consistent with the amount of pheremone attar produced by the dormant Carthusian Hench Ivy. A handy and inexpensive measuring device I carry afield for this purpose is called the Birchman’s Scouring Tube. It contains enough argon gas to bond with any amount of ivy attar and causes it to precipitate on the tube wall. The easy to read vertical gradation lines on the tube are an accurate measurement + or – 4 microsteres.
After completing your recalculations you’ll recognize immediately that this variety of V. vulpes in the pic could not have been taken in Tennessee. Only in western PA is there a sufficient quatity of Carthusian Hench Ivy to dwarf the Sagabirth Weed.
Norm, I don’t know about that. Quality Vulpes costumes are pretty expensive nowadays. Supply and demand, you know. Hoaxers may not want to spend that kind of $. You could be right. But subsequent photos show the creature moving. I don’t see any zippers on the back or wrinkles in the material. I’ll have to check for photoshopping! However, the raccoons look like cheap immitations. Beanie Babies, perhaps.
c4 12:10 pm on February 24, 2009 Permalink
Oh snap*
Dad 12:15 pm on February 24, 2009 Permalink
No, its not Vulpes snap.
carlhuelsman 9:42 pm on February 24, 2009 Permalink
Vulpes fulva. If its not that I give up.
Dad 10:49 am on February 25, 2009 Permalink
Carl is closest. Congrats! Red Fox is the answer. What may throw people is the variety. This is a Silver Fox. The animal shown here is the black phase with silver tipping on the haunches. Most Silver Fox are bred in captivity with some of their wild traits eliminated. They come in a varitey of color patterns, -greater or lesser amounts of white.
Another thing that may have thrown you (it did me) is the length/condition of the fur. In wild foxes the fur is usually shorter looking due to abrasion, weathering, soiling, etc. This particular animal, along with another, escaped from the kennel of its breeder/owner recently. Both are on the lose.
I understand the owner would like to capture them, as well as the PA Game Commission. If they were to breed with wild fox, the domesticated traits of these Silvers may be a detriment to the wild population.
The owner of the trail cams said he had much better daytime color pics. I’ve been waiting for him to post them. If he does, I’ll post them here.”
digruntled student 3:16 pm on February 25, 2009 Permalink
yo daddyo that is what a vulpes fulva is. a silver fox. cmon gimme credit. can i pay you off in pencils or tissues for an A+?
Debra 7:03 pm on February 25, 2009 Permalink
No Hannah has the market on tissues and pencils for an A! Come up with your own bribe!!
Dad 2:57 pm on February 26, 2009 Permalink
Man, I blew that one. I couldn’t locate the species name for the Silver Fox. Didn’t know it had one. Often varients of a species name are not given, especially if they’re domesticated critters and I thought this was the case.
Carl is the undesputed champion of this thread! His research skills are tops. He slam dunked us all!
Lucille 12:45 pm on February 27, 2009 Permalink
You are all dorks!!! But I love it!!
Dad 3:05 pm on February 27, 2009 Permalink
^^^^^^ Don’t forget, you’re related to us!
Dad 9:31 pm on March 1, 2009 Permalink
Clang, clang, clang… Error, error, error.
Upon further review, the answer Carl gave at 9:42pm on Feb 24, 2009 is technically incorrect. Carl answered, “Vulpes fulva” is misleading. His answer at 3:16pm on Feb 25, 2009, “vulpes fulva” is partially correct depending on how you read it.
Here’s the explanation. The first latin name of a species is its genus name and should be capitalized. The latin second name is it’s species name and is not capitalized. If a latin third name is given, this is it’s subspecies name and is not capitalized.
The Red Fox is named “Vulpes vulpes.” Since the Silver Fox is a subspecies of Red Fox, it’s correct latin name is “Vulpes vulpes fulva.”
“Vulpes fulva” is incorrect, as the capitalized “V” indicates its genus and threw me off. Also, “vulpes fulva” (lower case “v”) is technically incorrect because no genus name is given. The name is incomplete.
Carl is still the winner, but I am awarding him only partial credit.
All protests of the judge’s decision must be turned in, in triplicate and with a $5 non-refundable fee by no later than one week after this post.