192 ON ARTIFICIAL FOX-EARTHS 



and here was once an old quarry or sand-hole, the 

 bottom of which is now carpeted with velvet turf, at 

 the present moment somewhat stained and trodden 

 down. Three chestnut-trees have their roots down in 

 this deep hollow, and their umbrageous foliage sweeps 

 the ground, covering the face of the steep northern 

 bank, in which are the mouths of the breeding earths. 

 The vixen did not bring her cubs out there, though, but 

 in a rabbit burrow under the tree close by ; she has 

 " moved them in," three of them — such fine little chaps, 

 big as large cats already, and just as agile. 



We made a party to watch them two evenings ago 

 — three ladies and myself. The ladies sat concealed 

 under the branches of the chestnut opposite the earth, 

 taking up position about 7.30 p.m. The midges, they 

 say, were — well, " too awful for words," but they — the 

 girls, not the midges — behaved nobly, and in less than 

 a quarter of an hour were well rewarded. For they 

 saw the sharp little snout and twinkling eyes of a 

 cub appear at the mouth of the earth just opposite, 

 and presently he stole out on the grass, not twenty 

 feet from their delighted eyes. The midges by this 

 time had reduced me to profanity, and caused my 

 retreat, but I learn that this cub was " quite the 

 sweetest little darling." His brothers, too, were 

 quickly on the scene, but at first they seemed sus- 

 picious of the presence of strangers. There being no 

 more, however, in the ladies' gallery, while perfect 

 stillness and silence prevailed, the cubs were em- 

 boldened to begin their gambols, in which the wing 

 of a fowl played some part ; and eventually one little 

 rascal charged across the grass and nearly jumped 



