THE FOX 123 



their own food. On being driven away from 

 what has been their home, they know not where 

 they are, or their way back, and are seldom heard 

 of or seen again ; at least such is known to be the 

 case with those that have been marked. 



It may possibly be suggested that it would be 

 easy for some person to come in the night and 

 take away this vixen fox. This is a mistake, for 

 she would draw into the earth the whole chain, 

 six feet within the opening of the drain or earth, 

 when any person approached her ; and it would 

 be necessary for them to dig her out, which would 

 be no easy task. But it should be recollected that 

 a fox in this state is not a wild animal, and a 

 person would be just as liable to be prosecuted for 

 stealing it, as he would be for breaking open a 

 stable and stealing a horse ; or how does it happen 

 that tame foxes which are chained up in yards, 

 etc., are never stolen in preference to a dog ? One 

 is a sure sale, the other not. 



One of the great objections against turning down 

 foxes is that they are generally infected with 

 mange, most particularly those purchased of regular 

 fox-sellers, or, more properly, of those receivers of 

 stolen goods, for such they are. This, when easily 

 and satisfactorily explained, will probably be the 

 means of deterring some masters of hounds from 

 encouraging so nefarious, unhandsome, and dis- 



