722 Life-histories of Northern Animals 



that it seldom missed getting a chicken when it jumped for 

 one; in fact, it never made a jump except the chicken was inside 

 the chain hmit." 



During June and July I often visited the Ontario fox-den 

 referred to above, sometimes going at night, and usually taking 

 my hound with me. And on each occasion, long before nearing 

 the place, we were met by one of the old Foxes, who would 

 deliberately cross our path or bark at us from a hillside, tempt- 

 ing the dog away in pursuit. The latter would dash off at full 

 cry, and I could tell by his tonguing that the trail led to a 

 distant part of the country, either along the railway track or 

 down the river, where the Fox easily got rid of him by some 

 trick. One of these tricks I witnessed in daylight. The Fox 

 led the dog down the river, then, retracing his steps for forty 

 or fifty yards, he scrambled along a steep bank of sand that 

 edged the stream. The sand apparently carried no scent; the 

 hound could not follow it at all. 



I saw the Fox do this several times at the same place. In- 

 deed, he was shot here by one of my friends, in the act of repeat- 

 ing the performance. This turned out to be the male Fox. 

 Evidently he was actively interested in the care of the young. 



One day (July 15) I saw the mother Fox carrying a live 

 hen from our barnyard across the river and up towards the den. 

 I believe she was keeping it alive with intent to let the young 

 ones have the practice of killing it, just as a cat will bring live 

 game to her kittens. 



As soon as the young are large enough to come out of 

 doors, they romp and play about in a delightful fashion, com- 

 bining the elegant suppleness of the Otter with the frolicsome 

 ways of kittens, but are ever ready to fly home at the slightest 

 alarm. Usually the alarm is given by the ever-watchful 

 parents. 



There is, of course, only one brood to the season. The 

 young are nearly full grown by the end of August, but are still 

 in the old home with their parents. Such quantities of game, 

 dead and alive, have been brought to them during the summer 



