332 HUNTING PRELIMINARIES. 



of vixens and dog foxes, except that the former are usually 

 smaller than the latter, and have smaller and sharper heads. 

 Of course it is comparatively easy to tell a heavy vixen. A 

 nursing mother will be thin and out of condition, and is often 

 so poor in coat and brush, that inexperienced people have 

 been known to mistake her unthrifty state for mange. 



Suckling vixens generally go out for food during the night ; 

 but dog foxes as a rule like to lie out above ground in the 

 spring, probably to escape the discomfort of the nursery. 

 Hence, after the beginning of March, it is advisable not to 

 stop earths over night, and only " put them to " (lightly close 

 them) on the hunting morning, so as to ensure as far as 

 practicable, the safety of Mrs. Vicky when hounds are 

 drawing or running. If this usually sound precaution of 

 closing earths in the morning be omitted, a dog fox may get 

 into an earth in front of the hounds, in which case no attempt 

 should be made to put in a terrier, who might kill some if 

 not all of the cubs, supposing they were present. If possible, 

 a covert holding a heavy or suckling vixen should not be 

 drawn. 



Vixens in most cases run shorter than their male com- 

 panions ; because they do not travel in search of lovers, and 

 consequently they do not know the country so well ; but 

 occasionally they give long runs. For instance, the bob- 

 tailed fox which was found at Walton Thorns, and was killed 

 outside Old Hills, after passing within a field of Cossington 

 Gorse (an eight mile point and a twelve mile run in 52 

 minutes), was a vixen that had lost her cubs. Vixens are 

 not so often found as dog foxes; because they generally 

 lie at earth, while the males lie out. Foxes are more or 

 less nocturnal animals, as we may see by an examination of 

 their eyes, the pupils of which contract in a manner some- 

 what similar to those of a cat, when the nerves of the eyes 

 are stimulated by light. 



