FOXES. 331 



Another form of encouragement is that of blooding a young 

 sportsman at his first kill. The ceremony is performed by the 

 huntsman, who touches the neophyte on the forehead, chin, 

 and each cheek, with the bleeding end of a pad, and then 

 presents him with the pad or brush, as the case may demand. 

 If he gets the brush, he had better put it into his pocket, than 

 attach it to the browband of his pony, who may kick him off 

 or run away, because horses greatly dislike the smell of 



Fig. 227. Hedge, 3 ft. 6 in. high. 



blood. In Highland deer forests, a somewhat similar 

 ceremony, which makes one "free of the hill," is observed 

 at the death of one's first stag. 



FOXES. 



The usual period of gestation of vixens, like that of bitches', 

 is nine weeks, and the cubs as a rule are dropped about the 

 middle of March ; although, in exceptional cases, particularly 

 during mild winters, they may be whelped as early as 

 Christmas. There is little difference between the appearance 



