FOXES. 143 



FOXES. 



STEALING along in the dark of evening, the cunning and 

 rapacious Fox (Canis Vulpes) leaves his hole in the 

 earth, and roams in search of his prey. The poultry- 

 yards, rabbit-warrens, and the haunts of game, tell of 

 his skilful depredations ; but he is not at all difficult in 

 his appetite. To be sure, when he can get ripe grapes, 

 he has a feast. If young turkeys and hares are not to 

 be had, he puts up with a young fawn, a wild duck, or 

 even weasels, mice, frogs, or insects. He will also walk 

 down to the sea-shore, and sup upon the remains of 

 fishes, or arrest the crabs and make them alter their side- 

 long course so as to crawl down his throat. Reynard 

 also has an eye to the future, for he never lets anything 

 escape which conies within his sharp bite ; and as there 

 must be a limit to the quantity which any animal can 

 contain, when he cannot possibly eat any more, he in 

 various spots, well marked by himself, buries the remain- 

 der for the morrow's meal. With only his toes touching 

 the earth, he prowls about with noiseless steps; his 

 nose and ears alive to the faintest sound or odour ; his 

 cat-like eyes, with linear pupil, gleaming like coals of 

 fire ; and he suddenly springs upon his victims before 

 they are aware of his vicinity. His bushy tail is the 

 envied trophy of the huntsman, who calls it a brush. 

 His colours are white, black, red, yellow, bluish, or 

 variegated ; and in cold climates he always turns white 

 in winter. The father takes no care of his children ; but 

 the mother performs her duty with the most exemplary 

 devotion for four months. 



The fox is generally a solitary, suspicious animal ; 



