LETTER XXXI. 



soon contrives an opportunity to pay them a visit, and 

 begins by levelling all without distinction. lie then 

 carries off a part of the spoil, hides it at some conve- 

 nient distance, and returns for another load. Taking 

 off another fowl in the same manner, he hides that also, 

 but seldom in the same place : and this method he pur- 

 sues until the approach of day, or the noise of the fa- 

 mily, warn him to retire. He puts in practice the 

 same arts when he finds birds entangled in springs 

 laid for them by the fowler, with whom he takes care 

 to be before-hand, he is equally active in seizing 

 young hares and rabbits, and in discovering the nest 

 of the quail, the partridge, and the pheasant. When 

 better food is deficient, he devours rats, mice, and al- 

 most every kind of vermin; and even the hedge-hog, 

 notwithstanding its prickles, is not secure against hi* 

 attacks. No creature, but such as are too strong for 

 him, can escape this universal glutton. His depre- 

 dations are not limited to the search of animal food; 

 vfor he attacks the wasp and the bee for the sake of 

 their honey; and, although the whole swarm some- 

 times flies out and fastens on him, he soon gets rid of 

 the assailants by rolling himself on the ground. IJe 

 then returns to the charge, and at the last, he carries 

 his point. Foxes are also extremely fond of grapes, 

 and do much damage in vineyards. 



The black fox is valuable for his fur, which in Rus- 

 sia is esteemed superior to that of the finest sable. A 

 single skin is sold for the enormous price of four hun- 

 dred rubles,, or between seventy and eighty pounds 

 sterling. 



Th,e cross fox, which derives its name from a black 

 murk which passes across the shoulders, and another 

 along the back to the tail, is a native of the cold 

 parts of both the old and the new continents; its 

 fur is very valuable, being extremely thick and soft. 

 Great numbers of these skins are imported from Ca- 

 nada. 



The corsac fox is common in the deserts of Tartary 

 beyond the Yaick river. In summer its colour is a 

 pale yellow, except on the throat, which is white. In 



