The first part of the common name refers to the 6-11 inches, bushy tail ... is grayish brown, the hairs long, dense, and, because each hair contains insulating air spaces, brittle. In all seasons, the ...

Other differences include coarser fur, a shorter muzzle and legs, dark brown eyes, and a mane of stiff, black hairs on the dorsal surface, or on top, of the tail. The gray fox has a white throat and ...