no. 1655. XOTES ON VERTEBRATES FROM INDIANA HAHN. 575 



During the summer I have often seen rabbits lie down on the 

 ground where the soil was bare, smooth, and devoid of vegetation 

 and gnaw the dirt. At one time, in a path near the house, a space of 

 about a square yard had been gnawed away to a depth of from one- 

 fourth to one-half an inch. This was not all done in one night, but 

 it had been done between rains or within ten days. 



During the winter I was at the University Farm (he State forester 

 complained vigorously of the damage done by rabbits to the young 

 trees on the foresl reservation about 50 miles farther south. Accord 

 inglv T paid close attention to their winter food in my locality. Com 

 paratively little damage was done to the young hardwood trees. 

 The vegetation most often eaten was as follows: Wahoo, hydrangea. 

 Christmas fern, sassafras, hepatica, red locust, and ironwood. The 

 shellbark hickory, walnut, and sugar-maple shoots were eaten infre- 

 quently. I did not observe an oak. ash. or tulip-tree which had been 

 injured by the rabbits, the abundance of more tender vegetation 

 serving as an effective protection to the more valuable species. 



UROCYON CINEREOARGENTEUS (Schreber). 

 GRAY FOX. 



The gray fox is still common in this locality, although almost 

 exterminated throughout the State. The first one I saw came up the 

 path to within :'><) yards of the house one morning. The hounds were 

 bellowing in the distance and it stopped now and then to listen. 

 Coming to a rail fence the animal sprang upon it and walked along 

 the top rail for a few yard-, but did not make a long leap to the side 

 for the purpose of throwing the dogs oil' the trail, as the red fox is 

 reputed to do. 



Later I found a den in a secluded -pot not more than L50 yards 

 from a man's residence. AYhen snow was on the ground the track 

 of one of these foxes entered the Twin Cave nearly every night, for 

 what purpose I can not say. as the cave contained no food, unless 

 the fox was able to catch bats. A large male was caught in a steel 

 trap set along the creek, but the skin was neglected and spoiled. 



VULPES FULVUS (Desmarest). 

 RED FOX. 



This fox was not seen or captured, but it is said to be quite as 

 numerous as the other species. A small cave on top of the hill was 

 inhabited by foxes, and I judged by the size of the track that it was 

 the red rather than the gray species which lived in it. 



