THE COMMON FOX. 131 



blind, and of a darkish brown colour. Foxes breed 

 only once in the year., unless some accident hap- 

 pen to their first litter, in which case they some- 

 times again bring fcmh in the course of the ensu- 

 ing summer. It is on account of the breeding sea- 

 son, principally, thatFox-hunters leave off their pur- 

 suit about the month of March; since in one week, 

 they say, the Hounds, by killing a brace or two of 

 bitch Foxes, either in cub, or that have just lit- 

 tered, would destroy as many animals as would 

 yield diversion for a whole season. If the places 

 where the young ones are deposited happen, by 

 any chance, to be discovered or disturbed, the 

 dam never fails, on the very first opportunity, to 

 carry off her cubs in her mouth, to some more 

 concealed habitation. 



In April, 1784, the Hounds belonging to Mr- 

 Daniel, were returning home from Bromfield Hall 

 Wood, when one of the Terriers that was with the 

 whipper-in, whined, and seemed very uneasy, at 

 the foot of an oak-pollard tree. The Dog appeared 

 anxious to get into the tree, which was covered 

 with small twigs from the foot to the crown ; and 

 on these was seen, very evidently, the dirt left by 

 some animal that had gone up and down the 

 boughs. The man climbed the tree, putting the 

 Dog before him. The instant the Dog reached the 

 top, he was heard to seize something; and the 

 the man, to his great surprise, found him with a 

 female Fox that had there four cubs. The height 



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