THE DACHSHUND. 225 



In Europe, it is the game-keeper' s duty to take care of 

 the game intrusted to him; and a fox destroys more game 

 in a season than the average hunter kills. Having found 

 the proofs that such a robber has made his home on his 

 intrusted domain, the forester has no rest until the 

 intruder is exterminated. Has the fox made his home 

 among the bluffs and rocks, the hunter lays in wait until 

 a chance offers to shoot Reynard. To simply shoot the fox, 

 in this case, is more advisable than to risk the lives of val- 

 uable dogs, who would certainly be in great danger, as the 

 nature of the bluffs and rocks, filled with caves and crev- 

 ices, is such that the dogs, in their endeavor to get at the 

 game, would be likely to fall into them. 



In many cases the fox takes possession of an old badger- 

 hole. The saying is, that a badger, who is a clean animal, 

 will leave his lair after a fox has deposited his manure 

 there. The badger mostly digs his hole in loose earth, and 

 if the fox is found on such ground, the Dachshund will be 

 brought to act; and this is the work nature has specially 

 fitted him for. The dogs are relieved of their collars, that 

 they may be able to use their body to the best advantage. 

 It is a grand sight to see a couple of Dachshunds enter a 

 fox-hole, chase the mother-fox out of the ground, and then 

 go for the kittens, which are brought out one by one, dead, 

 of course, every time. This is a grand opportunity to teach 

 a puppy a good lesson. 



The German game-keepers value these dogs about the 

 same way as the Arab does his horse; they belong to the 

 family, and it is difficult to procure a serviceable Dachs- 

 hund from them. When I was in Germany selecting 

 Dachshunds for my kennels, I looked for them among 

 practical hunters, to obtain the right stock. I went along 

 to see their work and ways of hunting; found beautiful 

 dogs, but as soon as I offered their owners a price for them, 

 our friendship was nearly ended. 



One incident I must here mention, which happened in 

 the woods of Thueringen, away from all traveled roads, 

 and deep in God's nature. I ran onto a black-and-tan of 



15 



