THE BADGER AND THE FOX. 



815 



when he can get the run of them in spawning time, when the} 

 are on the sides of the shallows ; field-mice, and his especial dai 1 

 a well-fed barn rat. There is no lack of these in the harvest 

 time, and up to the commencement of the winter months. Then 

 they troop back to their old quarters for the cold season. He has 

 a taste for poultry ; ducks he values most highly. Perhaps no 

 one but a miller would expect to find a fox in a swamp ; but he 

 knows his tricks and likings, and, though he curses him most 

 heartily, yet lets him go free, for is he not St. Reynard ? The 

 miller's landlord hunts him in the orthodox manner. 





;\w<-- 



"*.. :-.-. A- \.- v, V , A." 



American Fox. 



On the tussocks, covered with flag and rush spread all over the 

 swamp, the fox makes a most comfortable retreat. Getting into 

 the middle of one, he twists himself round and round, dog fashion, 

 and there he lies on a nice bed, soft and dry, completely hidden 

 from view, remaining there until the miller informs his landlord's 

 keeper that a fox is there ; then the huntsman comes round and 

 the sooner he does this the better, or there will not be a duck left 

 on the pond. 



Reynard can hear them nozzling and softly quacking at the 

 edge of his hiding-place; with cat-like steps he creeps closer, 

 looking through the flags. When he finds that he is near enough 

 for a jump, there is a splash, and one low quack and the drake is 

 in his mouth. In pictures you may see him represented with his 

 quarry slung over his back. This is not correct ; he carries what 

 he has caught in front of him, like a retriever. More than once, 

 when in search of wading birds, have I come on the retreats of 

 the fox and the otter very near to each other. For cool impu- 

 dence, match him if you can. I have known a dog fox, when the 

 vixen had the care of a family, enter the yard of the keeper's 

 house, take one of his game hens from under his living-room win- 

 dows, march off with it across the road and to his home, give it 

 to his family, and then come back for another. A pointer was in 

 the yard at the time, chained to his kennel. Driven off at his 



