196 ON ARTIFICIAL FOX-EARTHS 



personally seen them successfully worked. However, 

 both for " decoy " earths and main earths a friend 

 tells me that they answer admirably. 



In spite, however, of all the care and trouble that 

 has been bestowed upon artificial earths, my expe- 

 rience tells me that foxes, however much they may 

 frequent them, do not as a 'rule actually bring out 

 their young in them. Why this should be I know 

 not, for I have often known a vixen carry very tiny 

 cubs into the artificial earth, cubs that could not have 

 been many days in this wicked world — a vale of tears 

 to them, perhaps ; but, as Mrs. Gamp says, " They was 

 born in the wale, and must take the consequences of 

 sich a sitiwation." These cubs were born in some 

 holes in a railway embankment, past which the 

 trains thundered eight times a day, while linesmen 

 were constantly at work close by. The foxes were 

 brought out there again this year, and a strong 

 litter, too, but they have been moved of late, and I 

 trust have gone to stock " the old covert " once 

 again. 



But what charm lies in this favoured spot ? It has 

 been " permanently stopped " over and over again ; 

 stones have been poured down the holes, whole 

 masses of the bank have been dug out ; the holes 

 fairly plugged with rabbit-netting and covered in. 

 But sooner or later the place is always " cleaned out " 

 again. There is no shelter near, not a tree close to the 

 spot, nothing but the high, gravelled embankment, with 

 the "iron road" on one side and a large field of light 

 grass land on the other. 



But this fondness for certain breeding earths is a 



