CORRESPONDENCE aND INFORMATION. 



19 



then gave it to a summer boarding house 

 keeper, but it escaped from him by jump- 

 ing through a large window and is prob- 

 ably still at large. 



Yours truly, 



Clarke: A. Sanford, 

 Editor of "The Catskill Mountain 

 News." 



Fox on a Veranda. 



Griffin Corners, N. V. 

 To the Editor of "The Guide to Na- 

 ture": — 



With great pleasure I will try to in- 

 form you of the facts concerning this 

 singular hunt. It was in the early part 

 of December, 1907, and there was about 

 four inches of snow upon the ground. 

 It was a warm day for that time of the 

 year. The surface of the snow was a 

 little moist, but underneath it was dry 

 and sandy. Under these circumstances 

 it was much more difficult for a fox to 

 travel than for a dog. I am always in- 

 terested in hunting and was out that day, 

 standing upon one of the short ranges 

 of the Catskill Mountains known as 

 Burnt Mountain. The position which I 

 occupied gave me a fair view of the val- 

 ley and surrounding hillsides. I saw 

 the fox coming across the valley, but 

 saw at once that he would not come 

 within my range. I had a dog with me 

 which is very fleet, and had caught foxes 

 before by fair running. I at once 

 showed him the fox and the race began. 



My dog, being fresh, was soon near 

 the little animal, and it was wonderful 

 indeed to see how the fox tried to evade 

 his pursuer. He made his way through 

 jungles and brambles, sometimes on a 

 fence for a certain distance, then again 

 taking to the open fields. But the 

 strength of the dog was holding out bet- 

 ter than that of the fox, and he at one 

 time almost reached him, but the fox 

 scaled a high stone wall, and this scored 

 a point on his pursuer. They had now 

 reached a point at the top of a hill and 

 the fox made directly for a nearby farm- 

 house. They were now very close to- 

 gether, and the frightened little animal 

 rushed upon the porch of the house, 

 while the dog was at his heels. Here 

 the tired creature made a second stand 

 for his life, and faced his pursuer for 

 battle. 



Two young ladies who belonged to 

 the family now came to the rescue, and 

 with broomsticks and other weapons be- 

 gan to make peace. It was not long 

 before the tired and frightened little fox 

 was surrounded with warm, comfortable 

 wraps. Restoratives were administered 

 and care of the best kind was offered, 

 but the fright, together with the severe 

 race had overcome him to such an extent 

 that he soom died. 



Respectfully yours, 



J. E. Bellows. 



Fox in a Silo House. 



Andes, N. Y. 



To the Editor of "The Guide to Na- 



ttreA — 



The first that I saw of the fox he was 

 running down the road with my coon 

 dog after him, and he took him about 

 ten rods. Then he left him and the cow 

 dog took up the chase. The fox crossed 

 the brook and started for the woods, 

 but the dog was so close behind him that 

 he could not get there. 



Then he started for the sheep house, 

 and ran around it three times. He came 

 back down the hill across the brook 

 again ; then he stopped and the dog ran 

 by him, and the fox started for the 

 woods again across the brook. He 

 tried to run on the wall going to the 

 woods, but the dog headed him off again, 

 and then he ran around the sheep house 

 several times. 



He recrossed the brook again and 

 started for the hill on the opposite side. 

 He would run a ways and then look be- 

 hind him to see where the dog was. He 

 ran perhaps fifty rods and sat down on 

 the wall, and then he started and ran 

 again trying all the time to get to the 

 woods.. 



Then the dog overtook him and head- 

 ed him off, and the fox came right 

 straight for the cow barn.. There is a 

 large silo back of the barn, and between 

 the silo and the barn there is a shute to 

 convey the ensilage to the manger. And 

 in this shute is a large crack about seven 

 feet from the ground, and he jumped 

 through that into the shute and lay very 

 quietly, and then I killed him. 



Very respectfully, 



Frank Bouton. 



