FOX-COURTS RECOMMENDED 255 



an animal a bag-fox was ? and, I f it was not a species of 

 fox peculiar to that country ? 



A pack of hounds having" run a fox to a ground 

 immediately after they had found him, he was digged 

 and turned out again ; and, that the operation of turn- 

 ing him out might be better performed, the master of 

 the hounds undertook it himself. You will hardly 

 believe me when I tell you, that he forgot the place 

 where he turned him out, and they never once could 

 hit upon the scent. 



If you breed up cubs, you will find a fox-court 

 necessary : they should be kept there till they are large 

 enough to care of themselves. It ought to be open 

 at the top, and walled in. I need not tell you, that 

 it must be every way well secured, and particularly 

 the floor of it, which must be either bricked or paved. 

 A few boards fitted to the corners will also be of use, 

 to shelter and to hide them. Foxes ought to be kept 

 very clean, and have plenty of fresh water i 1 birds and 

 rabbits are their best food : horse-flesh might give 

 them the mange ; for they are subject to this disorder. 

 I remember a remarkable instance of it : — Going out 

 to course, I met the whipper-in returning from exer- 

 cising his horses, and asked him, If he had found any 

 hares ? No, Sir, he replied ; but I have caught a fox : 

 I saw him sunning himself under a hedge, and, find- 

 ing he could not run, I drove him up into a corner, 

 got off my horse, and took him up ; but he is since 

 dead. I found him at the place he directed me to, and 



[' Foxes in confinement should be kept on peat-moss, and their coats 

 occasionally dusted with sulphur.] 



