MAMMALS. 121 



an old cock-pheasant which had walked out of a 

 wood bounding one side of the field. This 

 instantly changed his behaviour from gay to grave, 

 and dropping the rabbit's leg he crept stealthily 

 into the ditch nearest to him and disappeared. 

 The pheasant walked about for a few minutes 

 with his head erect as if he smelt mischief in the 

 air, and presently rocketed skywards. For a 

 moment I saw the head of the fox peep up from 

 the ditch just behind where the bird rose. He 

 had allowed himself to be seen, and in conse- 

 quence missed his quarry. 



I have watched half-grown cubs playing about 

 upon a collection of rough rocks amongst which 

 they had been bred on a northern moor, long 

 before my brother's photographic days, and have 

 not the slightest doubt but a litter of young 

 foxes at play could be photographed by the 

 exercise of a little trouble and patience. 



If wild animals could insure their lives heavy 

 premiums would be the order of the day, for 

 great numbers of them die through accidents. I 

 have known two litters of young foxes drowned in 

 a ditch into which they fell upon emerging from 

 their parental lair, situated in a hedge-bank. 



Although there are still a fair number of 

 badgers left to us in this country, some of them 

 dwelling as near London as Epping Forest, their 

 nocturnal habits and underground abodes render 

 them difficult subjects to study. 



