PESTS AND THEIR TREATMENT 147 



weasel is to be regarded as a perpetual enemy of 

 poultry and, unless extenuating circumstances can 

 be found, deserves death. It follows most naturally 

 that a savage little beast which by disposition and 

 weapons is fitted to destroy all kinds of poultry 

 will, in wild regions, be equally destructive to valu- 

 able bird life, especially those species that live on 

 or near the ground. 



Regarding the Red Fox and his relatives, there is 

 an unsettled dispute. For many years this species 

 has occupied a place in the class of pests, and on 

 that basis his pelt has been demanded. Quite 

 recently, in the columns of a sportsman's magazine, 

 defenders of the fox have arisen, who stoutly declare 

 that to their positive knowledge, based on many 

 years' experience, the red fox is not a great de- 

 stroyer of game-birds and poultry, as has been 

 charged in the indictments against him. Certain it 

 is that grouse and quail, and other ground-nesting 

 birds, never were so numerous as in the days when 

 the foxes of the United States were most numerous. 

 It would almost seem as if it is the way of the fox 

 to live upon the lame, the halt and the blind among 

 upland game-birds, and by catching and consuming 

 the weakest to promote the survival of the fittest. 

 It is quite certain, however, that foxes are very 

 destructive to woodland grouse in winter, when the 

 latter are heavily handicapped by deep snow. 



For the game of North America, large and small, 

 it has been a fortunate thing that the destruction 



