Class I. FOX. 



fhell filli. In France and Ital)\ it does incredible 

 damage in the vineyards, by feeding on the grapes, 

 of which it is very fond. The iox is a great de- 

 ftroyer of rats, and field mice •, and like the car, 

 will play with them a confiderable time, before it 

 puts them to death. 



When the fox has acquired a larger prey than it 

 can devour at once, it never begins to feed till it 

 has fecured the reft, which it does with great addrefs. 

 It digs holes in different places, returns to the 

 fpot where it had left the booty •, and (fuppofing a 

 whole flock of poultry to have been its prey) will 

 bring them one by one, and thruft them in with 

 its nofe, and then conceal them by ramming the 

 loofe earth on them, till the calls of hunger incite 

 him to pay them another vifit. 



Of all animals the fox has the moft fio;nificant 

 eye, by which it exprefles every pafTion of love, 

 fear, hatred, &c. It is remarkably playful, but 

 like all other favage creatures half reclamed, will 

 on the left offence bite thofe it is moft familiar with. 



It is a great admirer of its bufhy tail, with which 

 it frequently amufes and exercifes itfelf by running 

 in circles to catch it : and in cold weather wraps it 

 round its nofe. 



The fmell of this animal in general is very ftrong, 

 but that of the urine is moft remarkably foetid. 

 This feems fo offenfive even to itfelf, that it will 

 take the trouble of digging a hole in the ground, 

 ftrctching its body at full length over it, and there, 



after 



