234 THE FOXES. 



deiection or an enemy are numerous, never trusting 

 to their courage until they are exhausted, and then 

 defending themselves to the last gasp against dogs, 

 but sometimes deceiving mankind by simulating 

 death ; depositing their prey under ground and in 

 different places, and consistent in character, not 

 attacking poultry under any circumstances while 

 kept chained. They cannot be habituated to do- 

 mesticity; always meditating escape, and when 

 freedom is hopeless they die of ennui. 



There are instances of hybrid animals between 

 the dog and fox, but these are sterile; and the 

 ancients, who believed the Laconian race of dogs 

 to have began in crossing the two species, have 

 clearly mistaken for a fox some other canine more 

 nearly allied to the dog. 



Foxes feed on small game, leverets, rabbits, moor- 

 fowl, partridges, pheasants, poultry, eggs, moles, rats, 

 field-mice, cheese, fruit, and particularly ripe grapes : 

 also fish, oysters, limpets, carrion, &c. are devoured 

 by them, together with snakes, lizards, to^ds, beetles, 

 wasps, and bees. The species best observed do not 

 breed more than once in the year, and litter from 

 four to six pups in the spring. Foxes grow to the 

 second year, and live thirteen or fourteen. Next to 

 the dog they have the greatest number of intonations 

 of the voice, they yelp, bark and scream with a 

 sound resembling that of a peacock ; they cry in 

 hunting, and murmur when pleased : they lie down 

 twisted in a curve, sleep profoundly, and, when 

 watching birds, stretch the hind legs behind them. 



