108 The Fox 
this fox family, but of all others which I have ob- 
served, and I have reason to believe that it is usual 
among foxes. In other animal families similar re- 
sults have been observed. As has been stated, foxes 
raised in a certain locality usually remain near home, 
probably bringing up their own young within a few 
miles of the parent den. So, too, with pumas. A 
single family lives within a given territory and the 
male and female, as a rule, hunt separately, as do the 
parent foxes. ‘The female puma is a far better hunter 
than the male, and when hard pressed for food for 
her young she becomes very bold and daring. Yet 
in proportion to her size and strength she does not 
surpass the mother fox. 
A division of labor between parents is not a fact 
among the mammals solely; it is common among 
birds—among some the division being quite equal, 
while with others it is very unequal. 
This division of care for the little ones of a family 
must be excellent domestic economy. Certainly my 
little fox friends were the fattest and glossiest little 
fellows imaginable. There were six of them, four 
red and two darker colored ones. It was most 
interesting to watch these little fellows at play; they 
would chase each other about, rolling and tumbling, 
tugging over bits of sticks, or sometimes over their 
