THE FOX. 99 



are kept, and the setting ducks are most pro- 

 voldngly carried off every spring. A few 

 pounds spent in this wire netting and a few 

 floating islands would entirely prevent this. 



But what can we say for the mountain fox 

 of the Highlands, 



Whom hounds do ne'er pursue, 

 Who ne'er hears huntsman's halloo ? 



Mr. Frank Buckland, in one of his usual 

 amusing papers a short time ago, describing 

 what he saw on a visit to one of the Highland 

 proprietors, published the list of vermin de- 

 stroyed on this estate, which was shown to him 

 by the manager, in a single year. At the head 

 of this list were a number of these foxes ; and 

 the first thing that would strike most people 

 would be, how very numerous these creatures 

 were in spite of all efforts to reduce their 

 number ; and to wonder what would become of 

 all the harmless creatures that abounded on 

 this property, but for the protection man af- 

 forded them by destroying their destroyers. 



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