62 SQUIRRELS AND OTHER FUR-BEARERS 



ous district in the State of New York, where, 

 from its earliest settlement, the red fox has been 

 the standing prize for skill in the use of the trap 

 and gun. At the house where I was stopping 

 were two foxhounds, and a neighbor half a mile 

 distant had a third. There were many others in 

 the township, and in season they were well em- 

 ployed, too ; but the three spoken of, attended 

 by their owners, held high carnival on the moun- 

 tains in the immediate vicinity. And many were 

 the foxes that, winter after winter, fell before 

 them, twenty-five having been shot, the season 

 before my visit, on one small range alone. And 

 yet the foxes were apparently never more abun- 

 dant than they were that summer, and nevsr 

 bolder, coming at night within a few rods of the 

 house and of the unchained alert hounds, and 

 making havoc among the poultry. 



One morning a large, fat goose was found 

 minus her head and otherwise mangled. Both 

 hounds had disappeared, and, as they did not 

 come back till near night, it was inferred that 

 they had cut short Reynard's repast, and given 

 him a good chase into the bargain. But next 

 night he was back again, and this time got safely 

 off with the goose. A couple of nights after he 

 must have come with recruits, for next morning 

 three large goslings were reported missing. The 



