118 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN 



but they will be frightened away from the ground 

 they know and from their food to a strange 

 country, where they will be in a starving state, 

 which will oblige them to visit dangerous places, 

 sheepfolds, etc., and they will nearly all, most 

 probably, be killed by shepherds' dogs or others ; 

 not one may ever find its way back. This is a 

 caution well worthy of attention by those who 

 happen to have foxes brought them which were 

 bred in their own country ; but it is strange that 

 any one will buy his neighbour's foxes, for how 

 would any man like to hear of a neighbour buying 

 his pheasants' eggs ? for on both sport equally 

 depends. 



The difference in the sagacity of young foxes 

 bred up in the above manner, and those bred up 

 naturally by the vixen, at the same age, is almost 

 beyond belief, owing, of course, to their education 

 by the old vixen. One proof amongst many 

 known the writer gives. After killing a cub with 

 his hounds, another ran into a rabbit hole ; the 

 whipper-in got hold of the brush, and in pulling 

 the cub out, he pulled off half the brush. The 

 hounds were gone home, but he brought home this 

 cub, about eight miles from the cover ; and in the 

 same evening it was marked and turned out close 

 by the kennel. Nothing more was thought about 

 it till near Christmas, when the same wood was 



