334 THE AMERICAN FOX. 
was placed in a spot where it could not be reached by the Fox. There were three cats 
attached to the stables, and they all partook of the same detestation ; so that their 
abhorrence of the vulpine odour seems to belong to the general character of cats, and not 
to be the fastidious individuality of a single animal. He was also very successful in 
cheating the dogs of their food ; achieving his thefts by the force of superior intellect. 
The same animal was cumne enough to procure a supply of milk, even after he had 
be en prevented from robbing the cats. On one occasion, as the dairymaid was passing 
along with her pails, the Fox went up to her, and brushed himself against one of the 
milk-pails. In consequence of this contact, the milk became so tainted with the smell 
of the Fox that the dairymaid did not venture to bring it to the house, and rather 
thoughtlessly poured it out into a vessel, and gave it to the Fox. The crafty animal took 
advantage of the circumstance, and watched for the coming of the maid with her pails, 
in order to repeat the process. Several times he succeeded in his project, but when he 
found that the spoiled milk was given to the pigs, instead of being appropriated to his 
own use, he ceased his nefarious attempts. 
He detested all ragged beggars, and was so energetic in his hostile demonstrations, 
that he realized the truth of the proverb, “Set a thief to catch a thief.” The horses hated 
hin with as thorough a detestation as that in which the cats held him. His presence in the 
stable would set the horses in confusion, and make them plunge about in a restless and 
uneasy manner. 
The Fox resides in burrows, which it scoops out of the earth by the aid of its strong 
digging paws, taking advantage of every pecuharity of the ground, and contriving, when. 
ever it 1s possible, to wind its subterranean w ay amone the roots of lar: ee trees, or between 
heavy stones. In these “earths,” as the burrows are called in the sportsman’s phraseology, 
the female Fox produces and nurtures her young, which are odd little snub-nosed creatures, 
resembling almost any animal rather than a Fox. She watches over her offspring with 
great care, and teaches them by degrees to subsist on animal food, which she and her 
imate capture for that purpose. 
The colour of the common Fox is a reddish-fawn, intermixed with black and white 
hairs. The hair is long and thick, being doubly thick during the colder months of the 
year, so that the fur of a Fox which is killed in the winter is more valuable than if the 
animal had been slain in the hot months. The tail, which is technically termed the 
“rush,” is remarkably bushy, and partakes of the tints which predominate over the body, 
except at the tip, which is white. The height of this animal is about a foot, and its 
leneth about two feet and a half, exclusive of the tail. 
There are several species of Foxes, which are found in various parts of the globe, some 
of which, such as the AMERICAN Fox, or MAKKEESHAW, sometimes called the Cross Fox, 
the Kit Fox, and the Arctic Fox, are tolerably familiar animals. The American Fox is 
very variable in the colour and markings of its fur, some specimens being of a pale yellow, 
some being blackish in their general tinting, and some of a reddish-fawn, while some 
specimens are remarkable for the manner in which the b lack, the white, the yellow, and 
the fawn are dispersed over the body and limbs. In almost every specimen there is a 
darkish transverse stripe over the shoulders, elving to the animal the title of Cross Fox. 
This animal has its full share of the crafty spirit which is so notable in the nature of 
all Foxes. One of them, on whose track the hounds had been often laid, used always to 
battle them at one particular point, the crest of a rather steep hill. Up to this spot the 
scent was perfectly good ; but at that particular spot the scent vanished, and so the Fox 
was lost. One of the disappointed hunters was so indignant at his repeated failures that 
he eee d to lay aside the chase for a day, and to devote himself to the discov ery of 
the means by w hich the creature could so invariably escape from the hounds and men. 
He therefore concealed himself near the charmed spot, and watched with much interest 
the proceedings of the hunted animal. 
The Fox, after being driven from his cover, led the hounds a long chase through 
woods, ponds, and thickets, and at last came at full speed towards the crest of the hill. 
As soon as he had reached the spot, he laid himself down and pressed himself as closely 
