The Fox 89 



home here, and all must have left our kennels about 

 the same time ; for the hounds were soon divided 

 into several packs and running in full cry in different 

 directions. Fortunately, those that were following 

 me were stopped ; at which I rejoiced not a little, 

 having travelled twenty miles the night before, 

 besides my wanderings in and about the covert. 

 These travellings and wanderings are the cause why 

 so many more of us dog-foxes are killed by hounds 

 in the month of February than in any other three 

 months of the year. Two dog-foxes which had 

 come from a great distance were killed by the hounds 

 that day. I had had reason to be jealous of them, 

 as they had for the last week or two been tracing 

 and retracing the woods in pursuit of a female 

 incessantly each night, until daylight appeared, when 

 they were obliged through fatigue to retire to their 

 kennels. 



Thomas Smith. 



